DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee
by TC Harper
Summary: Set after the Season 3 finale, these are the chronicles of the children of McKinley High's New Directions over twenty years after graduation. Featuring Samcedes, Klaine, Brittana, Tike, Quick, and Finchel.
1. High School Never Ends

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Many years after graduation, the children of Lima's New Directions have their own stories to share!

**A/N: Here's the first chapter of my new story, a second generation fic. Characters will be introduced as the story goes on, but just ask me if you get a little confused. Here we go!**

Chapter 1 – High School Never Ends

The first day of school is always one of the most hectic among students: Who broke up over the summer? I can't believe they're dating! You'll never guess what happened on the beach that night! She had WHAT done WHERE? James Buchanan High was no exception to this chaos, and as the homeroom teacher entered her classroom and observed her new crop of sophomores, she knew that she had just returned to Hell.

"Alright class!" the old woman yelled, silencing her students. "I'm Mrs. Harrison, your homeroom teacher for the year. Let's get on with the roll."

The seemingly ninety-seven-year-old grey-haired woman took her sweet time getting her papers together as she looked for her class roster, and one of her students, a mocha-skinned boy on the front row, took advantage of her temporary distraction.

"Okay dude, go ahead."

The short Asian boy to his right spoke up, apparently having been interrupted by the old woman. "Well, I figure if we get to the pitch by ten, we'll have enough time to warm up before the one o'clock scrimmage. Can you bring your ball?"

"Dude," the first boy said, combing the loose strands of dark curly hair from his face a little, "you know I can't be there that early."

"Really Cameron? Come on! You've been putting off Saturday mornings every day for years now because of that stupid show? I can't believe it's still even on the air!"

"L-look," "Cameron" stuttered, "_Jersey Shore: the Animated Series_ is very…compelling! A-and I've got to catch every episode; it's important!"

Mrs. Harrison, the homeroom teacher, who had apparently already started roll call, interrupted their whispering with a familiar name.

"Michael Chang?"

The Asian raised his hand. "That's me. But it's Trey actually."

The teacher looked unconvinced. "This paper clearly says Michael."

"I know—that _is_ my name. I just go by Trey."

Mrs. Harrison's face was unchanging.

"Be-because I'm Mike Chang the _Third_?"

No change.

"So…Trey…like three in Spanish?"

Cameron coughed and grumbled, "Give it up." Cough. "Give it up."

The teacher, however, did speak up finally. "This roster says 'Michael.' You acknowledge that your birth name is 'Michael.' You, therefore, are 'Michael.' Moving on…"

Trey turned to Cameron in disbelief. "Did that really just happen?"

"Looks like it, _Michael_."

Rolling his eyes, Trey picked up his earlier conversation. "But honestly dude, I haven't heard about that _Jersey Shore_ show in years. Are they even making any new episodes?"

"Well…not anymore…but I still can't miss an episode! I've got to keep track—"

The Latina girl who was sitting behind them suddenly interrupted Cameron's statement.

"Cameron Evans is right here, lady!" The boys realized that the girl was speaking to Mrs. Hamilton. Apparently, Cameron had missed his name in the roll call.

"You'll have to forgive him," the girl continued. "When Cameron starts such a deep conversation with his little Asian boy-toy, it's damn near impossible to get a word in edgewise. I'm sure you remember young love…pre-Civil War of course."

The teacher (as well as Cameron) frowned. "Young lady, that was very rude. However, because it is the first day of school, I shall merely give you a stern warning." She paused to dramatically wave her finger as if it made a difference in her argument. "As for you, Mr. Evans, please save your homosexual monkey business for another time."

"But we're not—"

But Hamilton had already continued roll call. And with that, Cameron and Trey would be considered gay by that woman for the entire school year. They turned to the Latina angrily.

"Damn it, A.M.! What the hell was that about!" Cameron whisper-screamed.

"You shouldn't have been flirting. Maybe then you would have heard your name," the girl said smugly, choosing to look at her newly painted fingernails instead of the person to whom she was speaking.

"She's got a point, Cam." The three turned to the shorthaired brunette sitting next to the Latina. Up to this point, she had only been observing with amused interest.

"Maybe so," Trey started, "but she didn't have to 'out' him to our teachers…again."

"If you've got a problem with gays, just say so, chump!" argued "A.M.", clearly prepared to fight.

Cameron came to Trey's defense. "Calm down, Xena: Warrior Dumbass. You know we're all pro-homo."

"Coleridge Hudson!" screeched the teacher.

The foursome turned their attention to the sleeping tall boy sitting next to the brunette girl that had spoken earlier. Said brunette girl quickly nudged the boy awake.

"Cole, wake up!"

"FERGIE!"

The class snickered at the formerly sleeping boy's mishap as he blushed embarrassedly. The short-haired girl spoke for him.

"That's my brother, Cole," she said to the teacher, "and I'm Steph. My name should be right after his."

Mrs. Hamilton looked at her roster, then back at the Hudsons. "This roster clearly states that a _Coleridge_ Hudson and a _Stefania_ Hudson are enrolled in my homeroom class. I see no _Cole_, nor do I see a _Steph_, and therefore, I will not refer to either of you as such. Now, Mr. Hudson," she paused her rant to focus on a weary Cole, "do refrain from sleeping in my homeroom."

Before she could continue, Mrs. Hamilton dropped her papers on the floor. As she bent to get them, Steph spoke up.

"Coleridge and Stefania…was Mom high when she had us or something?"

"Well…" Cameron began, "she was probably on drugs during the delivery…so yeah, I'd say she was indeed high."

"You know, that smartass mouth is really starting to piss me off," said the Latina girl.

The teacher, papers now in hand, croaked, "Julia Hummel-Anderson."

"_Present and accounted for Mrs. Hamilton! And may I say you are looking lovely today!"_

"…But I'll take your smartass mouth over Rachel Berry, Jr. here any day."

"You know, Anna Maria," said Julia, turning from her seat on Cameron's left, "every time you call me that, you think you're insulting me, but I continue to take it as a compliment! So once again, I thank you!"

Anna Maria looked to Steph. "Do you ever just want to hit her with a stick?"

"Little bit."

"Guys, lay off of Julia," Cameron said, as Julia smiled. The others chose to roll their eyes.

"Ahem, Anna Lopez-Pierce."

The Latina corrected the teacher with a surprising level of politeness. "Actually, it's Anna _Maria_."

Per usual, Mrs. Hamilton consulted her handy-dandy class roster before addressing her student. "According to this roster, the name of the Lopez-Pierce student is Anna."

"Well according to _the Lopez-Pierce student_," she responded, now with a bit of attitude, "her _name_ is Anna Maria, and you 'will refer to her as such,'" she finished with a smirk, mimicking the teacher's earlier behavior with the Hudson twins.

"Now listen, young lady, I've given you a warning—"

"No, _you_ listen. I've got family in Lima Heights Adjacent, and I can have them up here before—"

"Oh God, she's channeling Santana!" Trey whispered nervously.

"Cole, stop her!"

The tall boy, now fully awake, listened to his sister and stood up and went in front of the Latina, who now seemed to have steam escaping her ears. "Now Sant—Anna Maria, you've got to calm down."

"But—"

"A.M., just relax…" Cole put his hands on her shoulders as he softly spoke. She took a couple of deep breaths and was finally achieving a sense of calm.

"How is it that your brother is the only one of us that can relax her?" Cameron asked Steph.

She shrugged. "Dunno, but I'm glad we keep him around."

Cole, who had briefly lent his ear to Cameron and his sister, focused on Anna Maria once more. "You good?"

"Yeah…I think so."

Cole turned to Mrs. Harrison, who was now standing behind her desk in fear. "I apologize on her behalf, ma'am."

"Very well," the teacher started. "Just as long as the little fireball realizes that—"

"OH THAT'S IT!"

* * *

"And for the fifth year in a row, ladies and gentlemen, Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce has secured herself another first day of school detention!" Cameron sarcastically cheered as Trey mock-applauded Anna Maria's "triumph."

It was now lunchtime. For some strange reason, Buchanan High structured homeroom to take place only two hours before the first lunch block. News of another first-day-of-school-outburst from Anna Maria had already spread across the school, and as the group of six sat at a table, it was clear that the Latina was not in a mood to be argued with.

"Oh just stuff it, Trouty Mouth!"

Cameron instinctively covered his mouth and whimpered like a small child. One of the biggest things that made Cameron Evans insecure was his mouth. He turned to his best friend.

"Trey?" he asked behind his hand, almost pleading.

The Asian sighed. "Once again, Cameron, you do not have your dad's mouth."

Not only did Cameron Evans have his dad's mouth, but it was actually five percent larger. Everyone with eyes knew it. No one with a heart wanted to be the one to break it to him, though. Therefore, as his biggest adversary, Anna Maria had no problem making him as paranoid as possible.

"Who does that bitch think she is anyway?" said Anna Maria, combing her long hair out of her face. "You know what? It's racist is what it is! I'm going to the top!"

"Slow your roll, Tyra Banks," Steph responded, pulling the girl back down in her seat. "First of all, you can't call people racist every time they disagree with you."

"Yeah," added Cameron. "They don't hate your race. They just hate you!" He smiled, and the Latina responded with an equally wide smile accompanied by a proud middle finger.

"Second of all," continued Steph, choosing to ignore Cameron, "I'm sure that your mother isn't too pleased with having to abuse the political system to bail you out of your high school drama."

"Oh, she calls in _one_ favor with a U.S. representative, and I still can't live it down!"

"Still find it weird that _your_ mom is a state senator…"

"And what's that supposed to mean, Evans!"

Cole, who was sitting in front of her, simply took her hand and she was calm almost immediately.

"He's like the Dog Whisperer."

No one batted an eyelash when the large clump of mashed potatoes smacked Cameron in the face.

"Speak of the Devil," said Trey, changing the subject, "Cole, what was with you today?"

"Yeah," Julia added. "Why were you sleeping in class? That isn't like you. And it certainly isn't becoming of a child of Rachel Berry."

Eye rolls all around.

Cole sighed, letting go of Anna Maria's hand. "Dad had me stay up late with him last night to watch some football highlights. Ever since he got that offensive vice president position with the university, he's been obsessed!"

Julia turned to Trey. "Offensive vice president?"

"Offensive coordinator," Trey corrected.

"I thought you hated football," Cameron said confusedly.

"I do."

"Coleridge, we've been through this!" Steph sighed. "You can't keep pretending to like football just to make Dad happy!"

"I know…but it's the only thing we have in common."

Cameron spoke up again. "So the only thing you have in common with your father is a lie?" Everyone glared at him. "I'm sorry! Not trying to be _that guy_, but…maybe you should talk to him about this."

Cole was silent, and soon, so was everyone else. It was Julia who broke it with a new subject: "So…I signed us _all_ up for glee club auditions!"

Five shocked faces turned in the blonde's direction. Anna Maria spoke on their behalf. "Why in the hell did you do that?"

"So…we can all definitely have audition times! The slots could fill up fast!" She ate her lunch as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Honey," Steph began slowly, "no offense, but I'm not really interested in glee club." Four choruses of "me neither" followed the admission.

"WHAT!" screeched Julia dramatically. She attracted the attention of a couple of nearby tables and waited until they turned around before she continued. "How could you not be interested in glee club? Music has been a part of all of our lives since _before_ we were in diapers!"

She focused on the Hudson twins. "Steph, Cole, your mother is _the_ Rachel Berry!"

"I thought _you_ were Rachel Berry," said Anna Maria, smirking.

Julia ignored her. "Your mother has had years of success on Broadway and is now an acclaimed actress slash producer and one of the best in the business. Only second to my fathers! Because, as we all know, my daddies are amazing at everything!" More eye rolls.

She then turned to Trey and Anna Maria. "Not only do the two of you have mothers with astounding voices, but you also have parents who are so good at dancing that they now own their own studio, teaching people of all ages all kinds of steps and even offering private choreography! The potential is in you; you've just got to harness it!"

Neither looked impressed as Julia looked at Cameron. "And the country strength of your father combined with the R&B stylings of your mother practically make you a potential aficionado!"

She was looking at the group as a whole now, and she was so inspired at this point that she may as well have been in a Captain Morgan stance on the cafeteria table. "We owe this, not only to our parents, but also to ourselves, to prove our worth in the musical scene and keep all of our family legacies alive!"

"Are we supposed to applaud now?" Anna Maria asked dryly. Julia completely deflated in her seat.

"A.M., cool it," said Cameron.

"Oh, so you're nice to _her_."

"Julia," said Trey, stopping the potential argument, "it's not that we don't appreciate our parents and their talents, but…we don't have that in common with them."

"Yeah," agreed Steph softly, not wanting to hurt her feelings, "we shouldn't join just because our parents did. If we really weren't interested and ended up making it in somehow, wouldn't the group be hurt in the long run, anyway?"

Julia was silent for a second, then sighed, accepting defeat. "I guess so. I do admit that I feel a little foolish for my sudden passion."

"There's nothing wrong with passion," Cameron spoke up. "It's inspiring." The Hummel-Anderson girl smiled softly, appreciating what seemed to be pity from her friend.

Suddenly, a ringing cell-phone distracted them all.

"It's me," said Anna Maria, stopping them all from checking their own phones. She looked at the screen and said, "Oh, it's my mom!"

Before anyone could ask her which mom she meant, they got their answer when the girl spoke into the phone. "Hola Mami. ¿Cómo está usted?"

Definitely Santana. Poor Brittany could barely handle English.

"Hey honey," Santana Lopez's voice rang through the phone. "Listen, I need you to come by my office right after school today. It's very important."

"Oh…" the girl stumbled. "R-right after school?"

"Yeah, right af—damn it girl, did you get a detention again!"

Santana's voice was so loud that her daughter's friends heard her and began to snicker. Her daughter was quick to try to save face.

"Well, Mami, that dumb teacher—"

"Anna Maria, we've been through this!" her mother started. "The teachers won't know to use your full name on the first day; you can't just cuss them out!"

"SHE GOT A WEEK'S DETENTION!" a voice screamed from Anna Maria's end of the call.

"Shut the hell up, Evans!"

Santana just sighed. "Well, I guess I can push a few things around, but _as soon_ as detention is over, you get up to my office…and bring Julia with you."

"Julia?" Anna Maria turned to the girl in question, who was shocked at being mentioned in the conversation.

"Yeah, she needs to be here too," said Santana with finality. "See you then."

The call disconnected, and on cue, the school bell rang, ending the first lunch block.

"Guess we'd better get to class," Cole announced, standing up.

"Yeah," agreed Anna Maria. She turned to Julia, who was still seated. "Meet me outside of the detention room after school."

Julia nodded softly; she was still a little embarrassed from her earlier statements and wasn't in a mood to speak. The group dispersed to their separate classes leaving the Hummel-Anderson girl alone to gather her things, until a voice stopped her briefly.

"Hey," Julia looked up to see that the voice belonged to Cameron. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess." By this time, the duo had left the cafeteria, and Cameron was following the girl to the bulletin board with the choir sign-up sheets pinned to it. "It was actually a little silly of me to expect you all to want to join just because our parents did." She began to cross her friends' names off of the list. As she prepared to put a line through "Cameron Evans," a soft hand grabbed her wrist.

"Keep mine up there."

A shocked Julia responded, "What?" She then paled. "Cam, listen. You don't have to try out…I appreciate your sad, yet impressively dramatic, attempt of pity. however, it is unwarranted."

"First off, don't ever mistake kindness for pity, Jules," said Cameron seriously. "Secondly, I really do want to try out. You were right: Our parents had a lot of fun in glee club, and…I don't actually mind singing."

"Really?" said Julia, walking away from the board to class.

As their conversation continued, neither noticed one of their friends walk to the board to rewrite their already-crossed-out name.

"Yeah," Cameron responded to Julia. "Actually…I do really enjoy music." He had a bashful expression on his face.

"You're hiding something!"

"Am not!"

"Tell me!"

"Okay…you remember when we were all five years old and our parents made us take dancing lessons at Tappin' Toes?" Cameron asked, referring to the dance studio owned by Mike Chang, Jr. and Brittany S. Pierce.

"Yes, I remember," pondered the girl. "While I love to sing, I will regretfully admit that dancing is not my forte."

"Yeah, well," Cameron continued, "remember how we all got tired of it and quit after a week?"

"Yes."

"Well…not _all_ of us quit…"

Julia almost ran into the frame of the door as they entered the class that they shared, but she was in too much shock to notice the snickering of the other students.

"So…for the past," she did the quick math in her head, "_ten years_, you've been taking dance lessons from Mike and Brittany!"

"Every Saturday morning."

Then it hit her: "_That's_ why you stay in on Saturday mornings? Not because of _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series_?"

The boy chuckled, "Honestly, I can't believe that you've all been falling for that."

Julia ignored his joke. "But why the secrecy? You clearly love to dance; otherwise, you wouldn't have been for ten years now!"

"Because every time someone mentions our parents and the glee club, the others get so annoyed. I just…didn't want to be _that guy_."

"And as someone who loves to hear glee stories, what does that say about me, Cameron Evans?" Julia asked, now offended.

After a beat, Cameron whispered, "I guess you're just stronger than me. To be honest, other than Brittany, Mike, my parents, and my dance class, I'm not really comfortable dancing in front of people."

"So are you sure you want to do glee club here?"

He nodded. "You really got me thinking at lunch. I meant what I said about your passion being an inspiration. You've got a courage that I really admire, and…I guess I'm ready to show who I really am."

"Cameron," Julia said, tearing up, "that is the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me. And Barbra Streisand told me she liked my hair, so you _know_ I mean it."

They both laughed, then looked towards the front of the room, noticing that the teacher had finally entered the room, apologizing because of an important phone call.

"Cam," Julia whispered, taking advantage of her last talking opportunity for the hour, "since you're still a little stage-shy, how about we make our audition into a duet? I've got an impressive repertoire, as you know!"

"Sounds great."

* * *

The first day of school was finally over, and Steph Hudson, who stayed after school for a few minutes to pick up a form for the volleyball team, was walking up to the Cadillac Escalade owned by her and her brother. As she approached the vehicle, Steph noticed her brother in the driver's seat completely knocked out. Seeing her weary brother, the young girl did what any loving sister would do in this situation.

Because why wouldn't a loving sister promptly open the door of the vehicle and loudly honk the horn to angrily awake her brother?

"You're an ass…" Cole seethed, now wide awake.

"And I'm also driving." She got out of the way so that Cole could walk around to the other side. Soon they were on their way home.

"You know," the sister began, a little cautiously, "maybe Cameron was right earlier…about talking to Dad about the football thing."

"Yeah maybe," he quickly responded, clearly ready to change the subject.

"And…while you're being _honest_ with him…"

"Would you stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Bringing that up!" he screamed. "We're not discussing this. I'm not telling him about that."

"But Cole—"

"Just drop it!"

Whatever secrets Cole Hudson was hiding, today was clearly not the day that they'd be revealed.

* * *

In the waiting room of an impressive political office building, the receptionist Amy watched subtly from behind her desk with a smile as the two men in front of her were enjoyably playing with each other's fingers while giggling like middle-schoolers. Suddenly, Anna Maria and Julia entered the room.

"Hey Amy," the Latina said. "My mom wanted to see me about something."

"Hi Anna Maria. Just have a seat over there." Amy pointed to the empty seats next to the two men.

"Gross!" Anna Maria shrieked. "Parents being romantic! Amy, where's the trash can? I gotta barf."

Blaine Hummel-Anderson separated from his husband with an immediate blush of embarrassment, having forgotten that there were others in the room. His husband, Kurt, on the other hand, stuck his tongue out at his daughter's friend.

"Well, _I_ think it is very sweet!" Julia gushed, kissing each of her fathers on the cheek. "Hi daddies!"

"Hi sweetheart," Blaine replied, still embarrassed.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Kurt.

"Santana called A.M. at school; she wanted to meet with us. You too?"

Kurt nodded in the affirmative as Amy the receptionist ended her phone call.

"Excuse me," she said to the group, "Senator Lopez will see you now."

"Never thought I'd _ever_ hear that," Kurt grumbled with a smile as Anna Maria led them to her mother's office.

After a knock, the girl opened the door to find Santana Lopez at her desk in an attractive pantsuit actively filling out papers. Sitting on her desk in a dress was her girlfriend Brittany, looking at her lovingly. The foursome then noticed that the room was also full of cameramen, photographers, and news media.

"Hey moms," Anna Maria greeted suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"You'll find out in about an hour," she responded, standing up. "In the meantime, call your friends and make sure they're watching the Channel 7 News at 5."

* * *

The Evans family had invited the Changs over for dinner that night. Currently, Sam Evans and Mike Chang were at the kitchen table discussing football as their wives Mercedes and Tina were working on dinner when two young children entered the room angrily.

"Mama!" the curly-haired thirteen-year-old girl with light brown skin yelled at Mercedes, "Trey and Froggy Lips took the TV from us!"

Sam stopped talking and immediately covered his mouth. His wife smiled sympathetically before turning to his daughter.

"What did I tell you about that nickname, young lady?"

The girl remembered and frowned guiltily, "It hurts Daddy's feelings too." She went to hug her father apologetically.

"She's right though," the young Asian boy, also thirteen, stated. "We were watching _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series_ when they came in and turned on the news!"

"I'll go check it out," Tina volunteered, going into the living room with the two young children at her heels. "Hey guys, Lucy and Tyler say that they were here first; it that true?"

"Well, yeah Mom," Trey started, "but we got a text from A.M., and she said that Aunt Santana's gonna be on the news. Apparently, it's pretty big."

Tina looked at the T.V., and sure enough, a commercial for the five o'clock news had the Latina State Senator's picture on the screen above a caption that read "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE STATE SENATE!"

"Wonder what that's about," Tina pondered.

"Dunno," supplied Cameron. "Neither did Anna Maria. All we know is that it's so big that there's news people there."

"And she invited the Hummel-Andersons to watch," added Trey.

"Hey guys, come in here!" Tina yelled towards the kitchen. As the adults entered the room, Lucy Evans and Tyler Chang frowned having lost the battle (but not the war) against their evil older siblings.

"What's up, Doc?" quipped Sam.

"Santana's making an announcement." Tina pointed to the television as her son turned up the volume.

* * *

At the Hudson household, Cole called out from the living room, "Guys, it's on!"

Rachel Berry Hudson emerged from the dining room as her daughter and husband, Finn, entered from the den. All were eager for this "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT."

"What do you think it is?" asked Rachel.

"Knowing Santana," began Finn, "the legalization of marijuana."

Rachel playfully hit him as the news anchor began to speak, and Steph turned up the volume.

* * *

"…Thanks Karen," Alicia Cobb, the anchor covering the news story, said to her partner at the desk. "I'm here in downtown Cincinnati with State Senator Santana Lopez, who after four long years of secret planning, has spearheaded the charge for an important bill that will pass in Ohio upon the final signature, which will be given by the Senator herself."

Alicia Cobb turned to Santana, who was standing proudly next to her. "So, Senator Lopez, what _is_ this bill?"

"Well, Barbie," she began, proud of the fact that she just combined a serious moment with an admittedly cheap joke, "once I sign this paper, gays and lesbians will be free to marry in the state of Ohio."

A loud murmur of surprise erupted, and those who emitted negative murmurs were immediately escorted out by Santana's hired guards. Alicia Cobb eventually regained control of the interview.

"Now, Senator, how did a bill as monumental is this stay a secret for so long?" the reported inquired.

"I have family in Lima Heights Adjacent, all of whom are willing to 'take care' of any squealers."

The room of people all laughed, except for Brittany, Anna Maria, and the Hummel-Andersons, all of whom could easily believe that Santana Lopez would blackmail the government.

"Senator, isn't it a little unorthodox for the passing of this law? Wouldn't this go to the governor?"

"It already has," Santana confirmed. "Like I said: Lima…Heights…Adjacent."

More laughter. The poor unassuming fools.

After a few more preliminary questions, Alicia Cobb decided to end the suspense. "Well, Senator Lopez, without further ado, let's make history!"

Santana was secretly a little annoyed by the interviewer's Rachel-Berry-esque pep but was at least grateful for her tolerance. As Santana took a seat at her desk, Alicia Cobb chose to stand next to the cameramen, preferring to not be in the way of the moment.

There was silence as the Senator raised her pen at her desk. To her left was a beaming Brittany, bouncing on the balls of her heels. To her right, her equally proud daughter stood with a surprising display of emotion.

The paper was signed. The pen was set down. Applause filled the room.

"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen!" spoke Alicia Cobb above the applause. "Gay marriage is officially legal in the state of Ohio!" She turned to Santana, who appeared next to her once more. "Any final words, Senator?"

"Yes." Santana grabbed Brittany's hand and pulled her into the shot. The blonde waved shyly at the camera.

"This," announced Santana to all of Ohio, "is Brittany S. Pierce: co-owner of the Tappin' Toes Dance Studio, a wonderful mother to our daughter Anna Maria, and the woman I love." They both smiled as the Latina continued. "Ever since I got into politics, I told myself that I would never marry until I could marry in my home state. And now that I can…" She paused to reach into her jacket pocket and pulled out a beautiful wedding ring. "Brittany…will you marry me?"

Brittany once again bounced on the balls of her feet happily as she nodded her acceptance. Anna Maria was even crying into Julia's shoulder with glee.

At least…that's what Kurt and Blaine would later tell everyone.

The Latina girl denied everything.

And she later almost got arrested for hunting down and punching the cameraman who caught her weeping on tape.

But that's another story.

"Well, this is truly a day to remember in Ohio's history!" announced Alicia Cobb proudly. "Congratulations Senator Lopez and Ms. Pierce, and congratulations to all of the gays and lesbians of our great state! We'll be covering this story in our next hour, but for now, back to you, Karen!"

* * *

At the Hudson house…

"This is incredible," Cole whispered.

"Look at Uncle Kurt! He's so happy!" Steph pointed out her crying uncle on the television. Kurt and Blaine had married in New York on a New Years' Eve several years prior, but that did not diminish their pride and excitement.

Finn turned to his weeping wife. "You okay, Rach?" he asked softly.

She nodded, "I…I…I've got to go call my dads."

Rachel smiled on her way out, and Finn followed her, knowing that Rachel would not be understandable through the phone and her own tears.

"You okay, bro?" Steph looked at her brother. He was normally soft-spoken anyway, but his words after Santana's proposal were his first since the program began.

"It's just…so incredible," the boy repeated, taking his sister's hand.

* * *

At the Evans house…

"And Satan takes a wife!"

Punch

"Ouch! Lucy!"

"That's what you get, Cam!" Lucy Evans would not let anyone badmouth her favorite aunt.

"Your sister's right, buddy," said Sam, who was now holding four wine glasses. Mike was behind him with a bottle of champagne. "It's time to celebrate!"

"So we can have some wine too then?" asked Cameron.

"Hell no."

"This is serious, you guys!" Tina insisted.

"Yeah," added Mike. "One of our closest friends is responsible for one of the most remarkable and soon to be talked about changes in American history!"

"Mike, honey, Tina was talking about the engagement; we have a wedding to plan!" Mercedes and Tina squealed happily, soon joined by Lucy. The men just scoffed.

* * *

Hours later, between the six- and ten o'clock news hours, the Lopez-Pierce and Hummel-Anderson families were lounging in Santana's office. Over the past few hours, private interviews had been filmed with Brittany and Anna Maria, representing Santana's family, and Julia, Kurt, and Blaine, representing supporters of the gay community. The cameramen and their respective reporters were either having dinner or in the waiting room, as the Senator had asked for some privacy before the ten o'clock interviews.

Despite the good mood of the evening, however, there was a war going on inside.

"No. I. Did. Not!"

"Anna Maria," Julia said soothingly, "there is nothing wrong with showing a little emotion! Your mothers are getting married! It's okay to shed some more tears of joy!"

"I didn't cry, you little hobbit," grumbled Anna Maria.

"Then why is the front of Julia's blouse stained?" asked Kurt, pointing to the tearstains on his daughter's shirt.

"Because your daughter is a sexual freak."

"Really? Us too!"

"Brittany!"

"What?"

"Okay seriously, where's that damn trash can? I'm gonna barf for real this time."

* * *

And there's the end of Chapter 1 of DynamiX! I'm honestly surprised that it got this long. Guess that's what happens when you start writing. (Seriously, the entire Brittana thing was totally on the fly.) Can't promise that the others will be as long, though.

Side Note: I'll be perfectly honest. I don't know squat about politics. I hate politics. With a fiery burning passion. They're dirty and disgusting. So there's an 80 percent chance that I fudged the legal system to make gay marriage legal. But as I know nothing about politics, I honestly have no idea if I fudged it or not. I'll just assume that I did, accept it, and move on with my life.

Side Note 2: Please give me some song suggestions for future chapters! My musical knowledge is somewhat limited, and for the purposes of this story and my own general knowledge, I'd like to expand. And don't forget to review!

**In the Next Chapter: Buchanan High's glee club, Vocal DynamiX, is introduced as some of the group prepares to try out.**


	2. That's What Friends Are For

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: So, apparently, I forgot to put a disclaimer in the first chapter. I will now creatively come up with one off the top of my head. Drumroll, please! ...I don't own Glee...

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews for the first chapter! Seriously, they make me better. I want to know what's good and where I'm screwing up. Please keep reading and reviewing! And enjoy Chapter 2!**

Chapter 2 – That's What Friends Are For

When Anna Maria entered the building the next day, she knew that she'd have to spend the day dealing with people. And Anna Maria wasn't really a fan of people. With the exception of her circle of friends (and even they often tested her patience), the girl preferred to be left alone. But what with her mom legalizing gay marriage in the state and all…she knew that solitude wasn't gonna happen today.

She'd been socially busy throughout the day: absentmindedly thanking those who congratulated her and surprisingly keeping her cool when the more closed-minded students gave her dirty looks.

After all, she still had detention to serve for cussing out her homeroom teacher. Didn't need anything else on her record. At least…not this early in the year, anyway.

Anna Maria was currently standing outside the entrance of her homeroom class. She prepared herself for the expected onslaught with a deep breath and walked into the room.

"THERE SHE IS! OH MY GOD, ANNA MARIA, CONGRATULATIONS!"

"Julia," the Latina managed to croak as the blonde restricted her air supply with a bone-crushing hug, "you already congratulated me last night."

"I know that silly!" said Julia, letting go. "I was there! Remember? You cried on my—"

"Okay, who's next?" Anna Maria interrupted loudly, cutting Julia off and saving herself from embarrassment.

"Save it, A.M.; we all saw you," Trey said, walking to her, "and we won't hold it against you."

"We won't?" asked Cameron snidely. Steph quickly punched him in the arm.

"Congratulations, Anna Maria," Trey said with a smile, opening his arms for a hug.

"Thanks." The girl actually didn't mind hugging the Asian boy. He was actually pretty tame and decent…as long as his boyfriend Cameron wasn't around.

Steph was next. After their hug, she asked, "So when's the wedding?"

"Don't know. They don't really want a big to-do, but the press is probably gonna be there, so they'll have no choice."

"Think of it this way: you guys could get a reality show!"

"Who'd watch that?" asked Cameron, finally walking to Anna Maria with an unreadable grin.

"Anything else smart to say, Trouty?" asked the Latina.

"Actually, no," he replied, resisting the urge to cover his mouth. "I'm honestly really happy for you guys." She let him hug her, and during so, he whispered, "And the _second_ this hug is over, our temporary truce is over."

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

The hug ended, and the biracial boy promptly called the girl a bitch before going to his seat next to Trey. Finally, it was Cole's turn. He simply hugged her and whispered a soft "Congratulations" into her ear before taking a seat. Cole Hudson was a man of few words, and that was exactly why Anna Maria loved him. He was sweet, often using his few words of the day to defend her honor, even against their friends. Other than her mothers, Cole was the girl's closest friend.

They were all broken from their post-engagement trances by the entrance of their teacher, the two-hundred-year-old Mrs. Hamilton.

"Let's have a seat, students!" she announced. Her eyes then rested on the girl that she had given a week's detention the day before. "Oh, and Anna?"

Cole took her hand and squeezed it before Anna Maria earned herself another week of detention. She looked at the woman with a fake smile. "Yes?" she asked, through gritted teeth.

"I watched the news last night…congratulations."

_That_ was the last thing she expected to hear. She stuttered, "…T-thank you…"

"But the next time you plan to cry on camera, wear waterproof mascara, dear."

* * *

"I'm proud of you, honey," said Steph. It was the nearing the end of their lunch period, and the group was seated at their now-usual table. "She went out of her way to burn you, made the entire class laugh, and you _only_ gave her the finger behind your back! You're growing up!"

"Only cause that brother of yours had my other hand," Anna Maria warned. "That bitch was about to get cut." She turned to Cole. "You always have my back, you know?"

"Tha-that's what friends are for, I guess," he responded shyly.

"Um…so…Julia, are you still…trying out for glee?" Steph asked very rapidly and suddenly. Cole could tell that she was purposely trying to change the subject. He noted to call her out on it later.

"Well Stefania," the blonde replied, "while I have accepted the fact that you all choose not to live the impressive legacies left behind by our parents, I still want to become an integral part and prove my worth."

"Honey, all that question took was a 'yes' or a 'no,'" Anna Maria quipped.

Julia rolled her eyes and turned to Cameron. "So do you want to meet up after school? We can get to work then."

"Get to work on what?" asked Trey.

"Uh-school project," Cameron quickly responded, not ready to let his friends know that he was trying out for the glee club in a duet with Julia.

"On the second day of school?" Steph inquired.

"Well, the teacher's Old Lady Hamilton's son, you know? Runs in the family, I guess," he chuckled, a little proud of his quick thinking. Luckily, it wasn't a complete lie; Julia and Cameron's history teacher was, in fact, the son of their homeroom teacher.

Anna Maria scoffed. "Sucks for you!"

The bell rang, and Julia immediately shot out of her seat. "I've got to go to the bathroom. Um…Cameron, just meet me at Hummel-Chang's after school for our…project. See you in class." She left without another word with a smile, but everyone could clearly tell that the Hummel-Anderson girl was faking.

The others stood up, and Trey spoke. "She must be really upset about us not doing glee with her."

None of them noticed Cameron's guilty expression. He knew that it was his fault and no one else's that Julia was so suddenly upset. He merely responded with a soft, "Yeah."

* * *

After many successful years on Broadway alongside his husband and best friend, Kurt Hummel-Anderson was in a rut for a short while. After having their children, Blaine and Rachel had gone on to become producers while still performing in the occasional show as special and esteemed guests; Kurt, however, was not content with that. At this time, the second-time pregnant Tina Chang came to Kurt with a business offer, wanting to expand her small, yet successful clothing line. Years later, Hummel-Chang's was one of the Midwest's most popular fashion sites, with its main store located in the heart of Cincinnati.

When Cameron entered the building after school, he maneuvered through the busy crowds and was able to find the co-owner, who had just finished assisting another satisfied customer.

"Hey Uncle Kurt. Is Julia here?"

"Hey Cam! Yeah, she's here. She seemed a little upset when she came in, though. Any idea why?"

"No." The boy answered a little too quickly for Kurt's liking, and the father looked at him sternly. "Okay…I _may_ have upset her a _teensy_ little bit earlier today. But it was _so_ long ago, that it's probably insignificant now, right?"

"Hmm…." Kurt still looked skeptical. "She's upstairs. Don't make me regret having told you that."

"Thanks." Cameron smiled and went through a door marked "EMPLOYEES ONLY" and took the stairs to the attic, which had been converted into an impressive sewing room slash lounge. Currently, Tina Chang was at a desk sketching a new design, while Julia sat on an old couch looking for songs on her laptop. They both looked up upon seeing Cameron. Julia, however, immediately looked back down.

"Hey Aunt Tina!" A pause. "Jules…"

"Hey Cameron," Tina replied softly. Julia had apparently chosen to ignore him, and Cameron frowned. Tina took the hint that neither teenager had given to her.

"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, getting both of their glances. "I just remembered! Someone's coming to model some new clothes for me, and I have to go outside to meet him. Can you guys chill out up here until I get back?"

But by the time Tina had asked the question, she was already down the stairs.

There had never been a silence more awkward.

Cameron opened his mouth, but Julia beat him to the punch. "I'm surprised you even showed up. Especially considering how disappointed you are in me."

"I am, in no way, disappointed you," Cameron tried to assure her.

"You are disappointed in what I love more than anything other than my dear fathers. Therefore, you are disappointed in me. Although, perhaps 'disappointed' isn't the correct word. Maybe 'ashamed' would suit you better."

"You're right," the boy agreed and Julia huffed angrily. "But not with you! With myself. I'm ashamed of myself."

"We've had this conversation before, Cameron."

"I know—"

"And what happened to 'I guess I'm ready to show who I really am?'" she asked, mocking what he had said the day before.

"I'm sorry, alright," he said tiredly. "Look, if you don't want to help me, then fine. I won't worry about it."

As he turned to leave, Julia called out to him. "Wait…" She went to him. "I'm going to use some of my many years of experience in acting classes to try and understand your position in this."

Cameron fought the urge to roll his eyes before the girl spoke once more. "For years, our friends have preached avidly of their hatred of glee due to the influences of our parents."

"'Hatred' is a little dramatic."

"Well, _I'm_ a little dramatic. Seriously, how long have you known me?"

"True story. Continue."

"My point is that you don't want to be embarrassed, right?" The boy nodded. "And you're afraid that our friends will think less of you if they learn this." She stated this instead of asking, knowing that she was right. When he nodded again, Julia continued, "Well, if they're really your friends, why would they think less of you for this?"

The Evans boy still looked unconvinced, so the girl just kept going. "And besides, why should you worry about what others think, anyway? If they don't like it, screw 'em!"

Cameron was shocked. "That was very un-Julia of you."

"I've been sitting in on Uncle Finn's football talks with Grandpa Burt to enhance my scale of the American psyche. It'll be beneficial for my new screenplay, _Rocky Hunter: Female Quarterback_."

For the first time in the conversation, Cameron smiled. Albeit, it was small, but a smile nonetheless.

"I mean, look at me!" Julia added. "You guys may joke with me because I'm a little dramatic, and I ever so slightly worship Aunt Rachel. But at the end of the day, we're still friends. They may mess with you for a while, but they won't disown you.

"You know," Cameron began, "I really don't deserve your pep talk. You should be furious at me. You should be yelling at me and kicking and spitting on me."

"Don't worry. I will in our song."

Cameron paled, so Julia decided to appease him. "Relax, silly! The kicking will be merely theatrical!"

"And the spitting?"

"All real. Like you said, you deserve it."

She gave a wide, cheesy grin, and the boy couldn't help but smile back. At this point, they heard a loud voice from the stairs.

"WELL, TREY! HERE WE COME BACK UP THE STAIRS _RIGHT NOW_!"

"Mom, why are you yelling?"

The door opened slowly and Tina poked her head back in. Seeing the two children smiling, she sighed with relief and entered. Behind her, holding so many outfits that he could barely see where he was going, was Trey.

"Dude, what are you doing here?" asked Cameron.

"Yeah, Aunt Tina. I thought you were going to get your clothes model."

Tina forwarded to her son. "This _is_ my clothes model!"

Julia frowned. "But…the major clientele of Hummel-Chang's primarily consists of women and gay men…"

"This is what happens when you delete your mother's _Young and the Restless_ episodes to make room for highlights from the World Cup," Trey grumbled. "And I will pay each of you twenty dollars to not take pictures."

"Not gonna happen." Cameron's phone was already out.

"Fifty."

"You know," said Julia, "they say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I think a thousand dollars is also equivalent."

"Each!" Cameron added.

"Come on, honey," Tina said to her son. "Let's get started."

Trey looked at his mother, eyes begging her not to make him do this. She returned his look with an evil glare of her own.

"Oh dear God, it's her Asian vampire look; Jules, get me into this sequined top!"

* * *

It was a few days later. The day of the glee club auditions to be specific. The school day had just ended, and Trey Chang was walking down the hallway when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Hey Trey, wait up!"

The Asian looked behind him and saw Steph. "Oh, hey!"

"Listen." They continued walking as she spoke. "Could you give me a ride home, today? I just found out that Cole needs to stay after school today."

"Yeah, that's no problem," he replied. "He didn't mention anything at lunch. Why does he need to stay?"

"All he would tell me was that 'Anna Maria needed moral support.'"

Trey smirked, and Steph immediately stopped him. "No way. Don't even go there. That is NOT gonna happen, _Trina_."

"I will never live that down, will I?" Trey asked darkly.

"Nope; I still have the pictures on my phone, iPad, and computer."

"Damn."

"So, speaking of moral support," started the brunette, "I was thinking that we could swing by the glee tryouts—"

Trey's loud groan interrupted her. "Why?" he whined. "I. Hate. Glee."

"Yeah, me too. But we should go support Julia…_and_ Cameron!"

"Whose sudden interest in glee is completely confusing to me, by the way."

"Maybe he's always liked the arts?"

"No way. Cam's always been as vocal with his glee-hate as me. I bet it's Julia. She must have corrupted him with that speech she gave on the first day! I knew she was evil!"

Steph smiled dryly. "Well, whatever the reason, they're both trying out, and we should support them."

"Fine…"

At this point, they were outside of the auditorium. Upon entering, they noticed the eight to ten people prepared to audition. They were also shocked to find…

"Cole?"

"A.M.?"

"Crap."

"Hey guys." Cole waved shyly as Trey and his sister approached their seats.

"Moral support, huh?" Steph grinned.

"What are you guys doing here?" asked Trey.

Cole responded for the pair. "Anna Maria is trying out, and I'm her cheering section."

"Is that true?" Steph asked. The Latina rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Why are you keeping it a secret?" inquired Trey.

"Honestly, I wanted to do this from the beginning; my moms made it sound fun, and I love to sing," Anna Maria told them. "But I just couldn't deal with Rachel Berry, Jr. finding out and getting all up in my face about it."

"WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE?"

"Crap."

Though her voice beat her, Julia soon ran into the choir room, Cameron struggling to keep up. The blonde soon pulled the Latina into an unwilling hug.

"OH MY GOD! I just checked the sign-up sheet one more time, and OH MY GOD! Anna Maria, I just KNEW I could convince you!"

"Get…off of me…you hobbit…"

"Jules, you might wanna back off," Cole warned her. Reluctantly, Julia pulled away as Cole placed a hand on Anna Maria's shoulder to relax her.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's get this party started!"

Everyone in the room turned to the stage where a blonde woman in her twenties stood with an enthusiastic smile.

"I'm Beth Corcoran, and I welcome you to the tryouts for Vocal DynamiX!"

Cheering and applause erupted for a few seconds, and soon Beth had control once more.

"Let's get the auditions underway! First up," Beth paused to check her clipboard, "is Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce!"

There was applause for the Latina as she made her way to the stage. Julia, however, was confused.

"Wait…I signed up before she did. Why does she get to go first?"

"She got another detention, so Ms. Corcoran's letting her sing now so she can get to it," Cole answered.

"What'd she do now?" Trey asked.

"They caught her sneaking out of the cafeteria during class. No one could prove anything, but…just don't eat the chili tomorrow," he responded morbidly.

They all grimaced, but they soon shifted their focus when the on-stage pianist started to play.

**_ANNA MARIA:_**

**_Some people live for the fortune._**

**_ Some people live just for the fame._**

**_ Some people live for the power, yeah._**

**_ And some people live just to play the game._**

**_ Some people think that the physical things_**

**_ Define what's within, and I've_**

**_ Been there before. But that life's a bore,_**

**_So full of the superficial._**

**_Some people want it all. But I don't want nothing at all!_**

**_If it ain't you, baby. If I ain't got you, baby._**

**_Some people want diamond rings. Some just want everything._**

**_But everything means nothing if I ain't got you! Yeah!_**

Across the room, there were smiles at the girl's raw passion. Anna Maria had a combination of raspy soul with powerful conviction that could send chills up people's spines.

Trey was stunned that none of them ever knew how good of a singer she was.

Cameron, despite his mock hatred of the girl, had to admit that even Alicia Keys would be impressed.

Julia was already planning their many, many duets.

Cole was just proud, but not surprised. While he had never heard her sing, he knew that she had it in her.

Steph was worried. Everyone else focused on the girl's voice, but Steph was looking into her eyes. And the Latina's eyes here staring right into Cole's. Poor, oblivious Cole. This was not good.

After a second verse and a repeat of the chorus with even more power, the girl softly repeated the final lines of the song as the piano played the final chords. Needless to say, the girl got a standing ovation. She smiled gratefully as Beth Corcoran returned to the stage from her front row seat.

"Thank you, Anna Maria! That was remarkable."

"Thanks, but I've got to go…" She pointed subtly to the door, silently reminding Beth of the detention session that she was late for.

"Of course! Results will be up in a week. Thanks for trying out!"

On her way out, the girl paused at her friends. "Thanks for coming, Cole." She left.

Julia scoffed. "Not even a 'good luck?' The girl won't last five minutes!"

"It kinda seemed like she had something else on her mind, Jules," Cameron responded. "I'm sure she didn't mean it personally…probably…"

"Like what?"

"Dunno. Maybe plotting other ways to poison the student body?"

Steph turned to her brother, ignoring the others. "What did _you_ think of her performance?" she asked curiously.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from her," he replied with a smile. "She may not really show it front of the rest of you, but when A.M. is passionate about something, she'll go the distance. She's awesome like that."

"Just…be careful…"

"How do you mean?"

Beth's voice on-stage interrupted her. "Next up…is a duet from Julia Hummel-Anderson and Cameron Evans!"

There was applause as Julia squealed happily, making her way to the stage with her singing partner. She gave the pianist her sheet music, then stood on one side of the stage with Cameron on the other end. The piano player gave an introductory chord, and then:

**_J: (spoken) Anything _you_ can do, _I_ could do better._**

**_ C: HA!_**

**_ J: (singing) I can do anything better than you!_**

**_ C: No you can't._**

**_ J: Yes I can._**

**_C: No you can't._**

**_ J: Yes I can._**

**_C: No you can't._**

**_ J: Yes I can. Yes I can!_**

**_(They begin to walk towards each other rhythmically as they continue.)_**

**_ C: Anything you could be, _I_ can be greater! Sooner or later, I'm greater than you!_**

**_ J: No you're not._**

**_ C: Yes I am._**

**_J: No you're not._**

**_ C: Yes I am._**

**_J: No you're not._**

**_ C: Yes I am. Yes I am! I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge._**

**_ J: I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow!_**

**_ C: I can live on bread and cheese!_**

**_ J: (spoken) And only on that?_**

**_ C: (spoken) Yup!_**

**_ J: (spoken) So can a rat!_**

**_ C: Any note you can sing, I can sing higher!_**

**_ J: I can sing any note higher than you!_**

**_ C: (higher) No you can't!_**

**_ J: (higher) Yes I can!_**

**_C: (higher) No you can't!_**

**_ J: (higher) Yes I can!_**

**_C: (higher) No you can't!_**

**_ J: (higher) Yes I can!_**

**_C: (higher) No you can't!_**

**_(Dramatic pause.)_**

**_ J: (even higher) YES I…CAN!_**

**_ C: (spoken) How _do_ you sing so high?_**

**_ J: (spoken) I'm a GIRL!_**

**_(Overdone eye roll by Cameron that makes the audience laugh and Julia inwardly beam, but outwardly glare…because, of course, she would never break character.)_**

As the pair continued through the next few verses, the entire room was quite impressed. Especially Beth Corcoran. Sure, their voices were great and the boy, she noted, was very light on his feet, but what impressed the director was their perfectly combative chemistry. The way they played off each other was remarkable, and as all of the previous glee club members had either graduated or quit (due to it being Beth's first year at the school), she _was_ looking for fresh new faces to properly represent what the club stoo—Did she just spit on him?

"Did she just spit on him?" Steph whispered to Trey.

"He made her mad, and she put it in the song as punishment. Long story."

Eventually, the duo finished with Julia holding out a long note as Cameron fluidly danced around her. Another standing ovation.

Cameron spoke through his gritted smile. "Did you really have to spit? I thought you were just gonna stage it."

"Changed my mind midway through the song," she replied through her own smile. "Good job keeping up with the change. You have potential."

Instead of rolling his eyes at her, Cameron's forced smile turned into a genuine one. The girl was crazy, but…there was just something about her.

* * *

A few days later, Anna Maria was standing at the bulletin board right when school got out. Steph walked up and joined her.

"Hey, what are you staring at?" she asked. The Lopez-Pierce girl pointed to the board silently.

Steph's eyes followed her gaze and landed on a sheet with the heading, "BUCHANAN HIGH'S VOCAL DYNAMIX OFFICIAL ROSTER: Please see Ms. Corcoran for further details before the end of the week." Further down the paper, she saw "Cameron Evans," "Julia Hummel-Anderson," and "Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce" among other names.

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "I couldn't have done it without your brother, actually. I was a _little_ nervous about the audition, and he really calmed me down. Where is he anyway?"

"He got sick from the sloppy joes at lunch and went home. I'm getting a ride with Trey."

Anna Maria whispered to herself. "I _knew_ they just recycled old chili to make those things!"

"What?"

"Nothing."

While she could have tackled her friend's latest potential lawsuit, Steph decided against it and turned to her previous topic as they left the board. "So…about my brother…"

"Yeah?"

"Well, you know we're really close. And…I'm very protective of him."

"Yeah…" Anna Maria had no idea where the brunette was going with this.

"All I'm saying is…I know him a little better than you do, and…I don't think he's really ready for a relationship right now."

Anna Maria stopped dead in her tracks. "Who said _anything_ about a relationship with Cole?"

"You did. Well, you _sang _it, actually."

Not even the distant elated screams of Julia Hummel-Anderson learning that she made the glee club could cut the tension between the girls.

"Look here, Hudson," she began threateningly, "what happens or _doesn't_ happen between me and your brother is not of any concern to you, so back off."

"All I'm saying is that…you're not exactly his type."

"And what's that supposed to mean? Suddenly, I'm not good enough? What the hell!"

"Anna—"

"I'd expect this from Trouty, but not you. I really thought we were better than that!"

"We are!" Steph desperately stated. This was going about as badly as she had expected…but it was better than the potential alternative. "Just, don't get your hopes up. Feelings could really get hurt here! I'm really just trying to help you both!"

"Want to help?" the Latina replied. "Mind your own damn business!"

The girl stormed out in a huff, leaving Steph with only one thought:

"This will not end well."

* * *

That's a wrap for Chapter 2! Couldn't keep things happy forever! Please let me know what you think!

FEATURED SONGS:

"If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys

"Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)" from the musical, _Annie Get Your Gun_

**In the Next Chapter: Anna Maria continues to pursue her crush on Cole, and Steph and Trey bond after he learns a secret about Cameron.**


	3. Parents Just Don't Understand

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: If I owned Glee, there'd be continuity.

**A/N: Happy Memorial Day! Here's a new chapter to go along with the barbecue!**

Chapter 3 – Parents Just Don't Understand

It was a quiet mid-September morning in the Chang household. The doorbell rang just as Tina Chang came down the stairs, and she opened her front door to find Cameron.

"Hi, Cameron," she said to the boy. She turned to the stairs, "Trey! Cameron's here!"

"Actually, Aunt Tina," he started, "I'm here to see your husband. We've…got a lesson."

Having heard Cameron's name, Mike exited the kitchen. "Hey buddy. Ready to get started?"

"I thought you guys practiced at the studio," said Tina, a little confused.

"That was when I didn't want anyone to know that I danced. Know that I'm in glee, it's common knowledge, so I figured that there's no point in hiding."

At this point, Trey came down the stairs, dressed in a soccer uniform. "Hey dude, what are you doing here? Me and dad are supposed to go down to the soccer pitch in a few minutes for some practice."

Mike slapped himself on the forehead. "Oh God, I completely forgot, son! I'm so sorry; I told Cam that we could go over some dance steps."

"But what about _Jersey Shore: the Animated Series_?" asked Trey, turning to his friend. "You watch it every Saturday morning…aren't you missing it right now?"

"…Actually…"

* * *

"For ten years! Can you believe it? He's been seeing my dad behind my back for ten years!"

"Dude, it's not like they were sleeping together."

"Shut up Cole!"

The following Monday morning, Trey and the Hudson twins were in their first period Algebra class. The teacher had yet to arrive, and the Asian was using the opportunity to vent.

"Now that I think about it," mused Steph, "_Jersey Shore: the Animated Series_ hasn't had a new episode in years. It's a little strange that we all fell for it."

"I didn't."

Both Trey and Steph looked at the boy who had just spoken in disbelief.

"So you knew about this the _whole time_!" Trey almost screamed.

"No, and will you relax?" Cole said defensively, putting up his hands in an attempt to placate him. Something was a little off with him, Trey noticed. He was never this snippy with others. The tall boy then continued. "I just figured that he was hiding something, but it was never my place to press with it. People have secrets, and they should be respected. It's all I'm saying."

The twin gave his sister a quick, yet meaningful and slightly angry, glance before excusing himself to the water fountain.

"What was _that_ about?"

Steph frowned, a little guiltily. "Nothing, let's just change the subject."

Clearly, the brother and sister had had a bit of a disagreement before first period that Trey chose not to get himself involved in. Instead, he geared towards another group rift.

"So how are things with you and Anna Maria?"

It was no secret that Anna Maria and Steph were currently on the outs. Other than the two in question, however, no one knew exactly why.

"Does she still want to date your brother?"

No one, that is, except for one Trey Chang, in whom Steph had secretly confided.

"Don't know. We're still not talking, remember?"

"I just don't understand what the big deal is, Steph. Sure A.M. has…" he paused, trying to choose his words carefully, "dated quite frequently, but she's always had a soft spot for Cole, and you know it. Maybe this would be different."

"Anna Maria does not need to pursue this any further. Otherwise, there'd be a lot of hurt feelings."

Once again, the Asian boy could tell that their conversation needed yet another subject change. But before he could say anything else, Cole returned with the Algebra teacher at his heels. Any further gossip would have to wait.

* * *

Beth Corcoran called in Julia and Anna Maria for some general glee club duties during homeroom, and Cameron had left for Lima on Saturday to see his grandparents and wasn't due back until Tuesday, so the others were on their own. Cole, however, seemed to be in an even worse mood than before and had his head on the desk for the whole period, leaving the other two to talk about school and television, neither wanting to discuss Cole at the risk that he may actually have been awake and listening.

Come lunchtime, Julia Hummel-Anderson entered the cafeteria and noticed Cole and Anna Maria seated on one side of the room and Trey and Steph on the other. It had been like this since their fight had begun. Trey and Cole had unofficially taken Steph's and Anna Maria's sides, respectively, and while she usually had Cameron to help mediate the sides, he was still in Lima, and she was on her own. Having sat with Steph the Friday before, she sighed and made her way to Anna Maria.

"Joining the dark side, Poisonberry?" quipped the Latina as Julia approached.

Julia took a seat. "Why 'Poisonberry?'"

"It a combination of Rachel Berry and the fact that I often want to poison myself whenever you open your mouth." She grinned as if she had not insulted her at all.

"Ha ha," the blonde replied dryly, "and no, I'm not joining either side. Normally I appreciate the drama of high school, for acting purposes only of course. However, whatever separates you and Steph must be mended toot de suite!"

Anna Maria looked at Cole, seated in front of her. "What'd that bitch just call me?"

Cole sighed with a smile. "'Toot de suite' means 'right away' in French, A.M. She wants you to make up with my sister right away. Why _are_ you mad at her anyway?"

"Don't worry about it," she replied a little too quickly. Then, she took on an accusatory look of her own. "For that matter, why are _you_ mad at her?"

"Don't worry about it," he replied with equal swiftness. And the boy remained silent for the rest of lunch.

* * *

"Looks like Julia's joined the dark side," said Trey, looking on the other side of the room.

"She sat with us on Friday. Probably trying to be fair or whatever." She then added absentmindedly, "I wonder when Cameron's coming back from Lima."

Trey literally growled.

"Sorry!" the girl said with a little sarcasm. "What's the big deal, anyway? So Cam and your dad have something in common. So what?"

"'So what?' I'll _tell_ you 'so what!' Since Cameron had to leave town on Saturday and would be gone the whole weekend, my dad completely _ditched_ me for him!"

"Did you guys ever get to practice soccer together?"

"Yeah, but that's not the point," the boy said. "I've realized something. Do you know how many Saturdays over the past ten years I would have liked to see my dad? Just relax and watch some morning cartoons with him, you know? But no! He always had this 'special client' that could _only_ meet on Saturday mornings! I'd always hated that guy anyway, but to find out that it was my best friend taking my dad away from me…it just sucks."

Steph was silent as her friend continued. "And I'm not even mad about him lying. I mean, with all the times we trash glee, I completely get him wanting to keep it a secret…It's just…dancing has always been a major part of my dad's life, and having a friend who has so much in common with him…I know this sounds stupid, but it just sucks, okay? I know I keep saying that, but…it really sucks."

The last thing Trey expected to hear come out of Steph's mouth was "Believe me, I know."

But she said it anyway.

Trey looked up at her finally. During his rant, he hadn't even been talking directly to her, instead giving his peas a big earful while allowing Stefania to eavesdrop.

"What do you mean?" he finally asked.

The girl answered. "It's only been about three days, and you're pretty upset about this, right?" Trey nodded. "Well, I've dealt with this for the past sixteen years. Silently miserable while my mother bonds with someone who could actually pass for the daughter of the 'incredible Rachel Berry.'"

Honestly, Trey had no clue to whom the girl was referring. Who could possibly possess as much Broadway knowledge and know-how as Rachel Berr—

"Julia?"

She nodded, and Trey politely chose to ignore the tear in her eye as she continued. "Don't get me wrong. I know that my mom loves me and everything, but we really don't have anything in common. All she is to me is Broadway and Barbra and singing. That's her passion, and Julia shares that passion. They've always gotten along more often than we have."

It was now Steph's turn to talk to her food. This time, the slightly brownish lima beans were listening intently as Trey became the silent observer.

"And it's not like we _hate_ each other, or anything! I'm just not really into that kind of stuff…Although, I'll admit that I've never really _tried_ to learn anything about it."

There was a pause in the conversation, followed by a very reluctant sigh from the Asian boy.

"Okay, just hear me out before you cuss me out…I have an idea."

* * *

The next day had been more or less the same: One half of the group talked to Steph and the other half talked to Anna Maria in both homeroom and lunch. Cameron had returned from Lima, and he, like the others, was tired of their fight, especially with them being totally in the dark.

But now was not the time to worry about that. It was Tuesday afternoon, which meant that it was time for Vocal DynamiX practice. Anna Maria, Julia, and Cameron were seated among the other members when Beth entered and they silenced.

"Good afternoon, guys," Beth began. "I'd just like to say that these first few weeks here have been really great. You've all got remarkable musical talent!"

"However," she continued, "I feel like I don't really _know_ any of you. And other than your independent social groups within the club, I don't feel like _you_ know each other, either. That's why my assignment for you this week is to come up with a song that defines you."

"Ms. Corcoran!" Julia raised her hand. "I'd just like to say that whatever song you need me to sing, I have no doubts that I can do it successfully!"

As the Latina next to her rolled her eyes, Beth responded. "While I don't doubt that Julia, this isn't just about picking any general song and getting the notes and words right. I want you to really think about how you feel, go inside of yourselves. You could discover things about yourselves that you never even realized!"

It was Anna Maria's turn to raise her hand. "Ms. C., isn't that a little personal?"

"That's the point!" the teacher responded, as if it were that simple. "It's not like you need to tell me your life story or your deepest secrets; we'd just like to get to know you!"

The group still looked unconvinced.

"Okay, then." Beth knew that they weren't too keen of her idea: singing their innermost feelings in front of complete strangers. And yet, she was _still_ smiling. "I can tell you're still skeptical, so how about a demonstration?"

They perked up a little.

"I'd like to present two students who are using this duet to both fulfill the assignment and audition for the group. So let's give a warm welcome to Stefania Hudson and Michael Chang the Third!"

There was applause as the pair entered, Trey with a guitar; each was presented with a stool as they sat at the front of the class. There were mixed reactions from those who knew them best:

Anna Maria rolled her eyes at Steph, proud of herself for not giving her the finger.

Julia was too busy inwardly squealing and planning a grand reprise of "Loser Like Me."

Cameron gave Trey a surprised smile and a thumbs up…and was quite shocked when he was clearly snubbed by the Asian in favor of the apparently much more interesting stool.

When the room grew silent, Trey began to play a mid-tempo sequence on his acoustic guitar before he started to sing.

**_TREY:_**

**_Father of mine,_**

**_Tell me where have you been?_**

**_You know I just closed by eyes,_**

**_My whole world disappeared._**

**_Father of mine,_**

**_Take me back to the day._**

**_Yeah, when I was still your golden boy,_**

**_Back before you went away!_**

**_I remember blue skies walking the block._**

**_I loved it when you held me high;_**

**_I loved to hear you talk._**

**_You would take me to the movie._**

**_You would take me to the beach._**

**_You would take me to a place inside_**

**_That's so hard to reach!_**

**_STEPH:_**

**_Mama of mine,_**

**_Tell me where did you go?_**

**_Yeah, you had the world inside your hand_**

**_But you did not seem to know._**

**_Mama of mine,_**

**_Tell me what do you see?_**

**_When you look back at your wasted life_**

**_And you don't see me!_**

**_I was ten years old_**

**_Doin' all that I could_**

**_It wasn't easy for me to be a scared little girl_**

**_In a big neighborhood._**

**_Sometimes you would send me a birthday card_**

**_With your old Playbill._**

**_I never understood you then_**

**_And I guess I never will!_**

Beth Corcoran had to admit. When it came to the vocals, they were no Sonny and Cher. But what they lacked in precise musicality, they made up for with pure and unbridled emotion. And that was exactly what the teacher wanted. She needed these two.

* * *

Cole was waiting for his sister on the sofa when she arrived home from the afternoon practice. "Hey there, sis," he said sardonically.

Steph raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't talking to me."

"So a little bird told me," her brother continued, ignoring her statement, "that _you_ auditioned for the glee club. What's that about?"

"Nothing. What's it to you?"

She made her way up the stairs and to her room, and Cole was right behind her.

"My bird also said that you had a very interesting choice of a song."

"Trey picked it out," she said, trying to end the conversation.

Cole didn't take the hint. "And yet, you changed the lyrics to apply to yourself? During the exact same assignment in which the teacher wants you to be gushy and honest and truthful, huh?"

Steph was shocked. She had never seen her usually passive brother so pushy and persistent. She knew he was mad at her…but, damn!

"You know, Cole," the girl countered, know with a bit of edge in her voice, "_you_ were the one who said that secrets should be respected. Why are you pressing this?"

"Because it's a bit hypocritical, don't you think?" He now dropped the subtle and mysterious tone in his voice, replacing it with his own anger.

"How so?"

"You always get on to me for watching football with Dad to try and bond with him, and now you're doing the exact same thing with glee!"

"Because you've been lying to Dad about it for years! You hate football, and nothing's ever gonna change about that! I'm making an honest attempt to _try_ and like glee. I'll admit that if it wasn't for Mom, I probably wouldn't, but I'm trying. Maybe I'll like it, maybe I won't, but if I don't, I'm not gonna lie to her just to make her happy. I'll just find other ways for us to get along better."

Cole was silent, still angry, but not angry enough to yell at her anymore.

She went on. "Even though I might not be as close as I'd like to be with Mom right now," she said in a softer tone, "I know that she'll always love me…and you've got to realize that Dad will always love you. No matter what…_sports_ you may like."

* * *

The boy left the room without another word and went to his own. As he lay down on the bed, she thought back to the phone conversation he'd had just a half hour before:

"'_Father of Mine,' huh? Wonder what brought that on…"_

"_Don't really know," Cole's 'little bird,' also known as Anna Maria, said on the other end of the call. "Ms. C. wanted this week's theme to be about songs that defined us, related to our feelings and crap. Maybe that's how she was feeling…"_

"Songs that define us. Relate to our feelings…" Cole whispered the words to himself as he sat up in his bed. He looked straight ahead to the mirror that was attached to the back of his closed bedroom door. Looking at his reflection, he mentally asked himself what he saw before him. He spoke his answer aloud.

"A mask."

A mask to his friends. To his parents. To everyone that loved him. To himself.

**_Look at me._**

**_You may think you see who I really am._**

**_But you'll never know me._**

**_Everyday, it's as if I play a part._**

**_Now I see,_**

**_If I wear a mask, I can fool the world._**

**_But I cannot fool my heart._**

**_Who is the man I see_**

**_Staring straight back at me?_**

**_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_**

**_There's a heart that must be free to fly._**

**_That burns with a need to know the reason why!_**

**_Why must we all conceal_**

**_What we think? How we feel?_**

**_Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?_**

**_I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time._**

**_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_**

**_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_**

* * *

Another day had passed with little change. The group was divided between Steph (with Trey and on that particular day, Julia) and Anna Maria (with Cole and on that particular day, Cameron) in homeroom and lunch. At the end of the day, Cameron had just exited his last class when someone stopped him.

"Hey Trouty! Hold on!"

Cameron pursed his lips in as Anna Maria caught up with him.

"Oh relax, Evans. I need to talk to you."

"Why me? Where's Cole?'

"This…is actually about Cole. So I can't talk to him. And with me on the outs with his sister, Trey on her side, and your girlfriend being insane and all, I had to go you."

"One, Julia's not my girlfriend. Two, she's not crazy. And three, I'm your last resort?"

"One, yes she is. Two, yes she is. And three, yes you are."

"Fair enough. What can I do you for, She-Devil?"

She took a deep breath before blurting out: "I kinda like Cole." She covered her mouth faster than Cameron would when someone called him "Trouty Mouth, Jr."

The Trouty Mouth, in question, stopped walking and stared at her in shock. Then, he released, a sudden "Oh!"

"What do you mean 'Oh?'"

"It all makes sense now! _This_ is why Steph's been so pissed at you! You're in love with her brother!"

"Yeah, but that's not the point," the girl insisted. "And I'm not _in love_ with him! He's my friend and he's kinda cute. It's just a harmless crush, and if he just wants to stay friends, it won't be an issue, but…I guess I'm a little curious about starting something more with him, and I need advice."

Cameron thought for a second. "Well…you said yourself that if he just wanted to be friends that it wouldn't be weird, right?" The Latina nodded. "In that case, just bite the bullet and go for it. You and Cole are already great together, and I've seen more different people get together. Just look at my parents!"

"Yeah, I can't believe your mom settled for him…must have vacuumed her into his fishbowl with that mouth."

"Okay, enough with that! And for the record, I don't have his mouth."

"Whatev—" she stopped, seeing Cole at his locker.

"And there's my cue to leave. Good luck Satan's Spawn." Cameron gave her an honest smile and left, patting Cole a goodbye on his back on his way out.

After waving to Cameron, Cole turned and saw Anna Maria walking up. "Hey there."

"Hi…can I talk to you?"

"Everything okay?"

That's what she liked best about the boy. He always knew when something was off with her.

"Let's just sit down; I need to talk to you."

The first available seats were in the form of one of the benches in the adjacent courtyard. They sat down together, and Cole spoke first.

"You didn't answer my question: Are you okay?"

"I have something to tell you, and I just need you to hear me out, okay?"

"Of course."

"Well…" She paused. In the many times she's rehearsed this in her head, she'd never actually gotten to this point. She was so embarrassed that she wasn't even looking at him as she spoke. "For the past couple of weeks, I've…kind of been…_feeling_ things for you…just—I don't know. And maybe, you'd want to go on a date or something? But it's okay if you don't—whatever. Just putting an idea out there."

She put her head in her hands and groaned. That was not the way it was supposed to go. She did her best to fight back the tears of embarrassment, but she was failing.

"A.M.?"

The girl refused to look at him, getting angry at herself for ever listening to Trouty Mouth Evans.

Cole went on anyway. "I'm really, really sorry," he said slowly, meaning it. "I just don't think it would be the best idea. It's just that…you're not…"

"Not your type." It was stated, not asked. The Latina looked at him for the first time since they sat down, and her embarrassment was now anger. "Go ahead and say it; I know you want to."

"Anna—"

"Don't even, Cole! I don't want to hear it!" She stood up angrily. To be honest, she wasn't even mad at Cole. She was mad at the situation, mad at herself for being so damn stupid. A large part of her knew that Cole would never be interested in someone like her.

"Look," she continued, "I know you're too good for me, and your sister was probably right, and it would never make sense. Just forget I ever said anything."

"A.M., it has nothing to do with you, really!" Cole stood up with her.

"Oh, don't give me that bull! I'd really rather you just tell me that you don—"

"I'M GAY!"

Coleridge Christopher Hudson had just come out of the closet to his closest friend.

He had never even said it out loud before. His sister only found out because she walked in on him looking at gay pornography on the Internet. She had pressed him for days before finally answering with a "yes" to her "Are you gay?" question. He had literally never said the words "I'm gay" aloud until that very moment.

And in that very moment, Cole was scared as hell. He just admitted to something that he had been trying to push away for longer than he could remember.

He said it out loud.

He acknowledged it as a part of him.

It was too much for him to handle.

Cole sunk back down on the bench and began to cry into his hands; he had completely forgotten that Anna Maria was there, until she put a comforting hand on his back. Feeling it, he looked at her through his tears.

"It's okay. You're gonna be okay, Cole."

He needed to hear that, and she knew it. She pulled him into a hug and let him sob into her shoulder while she continued to whisper positive thoughts into his ear.

"You're okay…It'll all work out, I promise…There's nothing wrong with you…"

* * *

Steph had been waiting for her brother in their Escalade for the twenty minutes. Where the hell was he? The parking lot was almost empty when she decided to get out and look for him.

They'd made up that morning. He apologized for yelling at her. She apologized for trying to push him out of the closet. Of course, this entire conversation was out of earshot of their parents.

Suddenly, as she passed the school's outdoor courtyard, she heard familiar voices:

"How could you possibly be talking to me? After what I did?"

"You didn't do anything. To be honest, it's just a crush; I'll get over it. Besides, you're my best friend, and that's all that matters."

"…You're incredible, you know that?"

"Yes I do."

Steph practically heard the Latina smirk in that sentence as she slowly made her presence known to them.

"Hi…" she said softly.

"I told her," said Cole, not wanting to waste any more time. His sister noticed that, for the first time while in a discussion about his sexuality, he was smiling. Granted, it was very small, but it was still a smile.

"That's great, Cole," Steph responded with a smile of her own.

Anna Maria had remained silent, but her face gave an expression that seemed like she was putting together a puzzle.

"Wait a minute," she said softly. "You knew?"

"Yeah," Cole's sister replied.

"So all this time, when you were trying to keep people from getting hurt…"

"I knew that he'd never like you the way you like him…I didn't want to see that happen. You've got such a great friendship."

"Such a great friendship that we'll be okay after this, right?" Cole asked the girl.

"Right," she agreed. Her attention then went to Steph. "I guess…I took things too far." She looked very bashful.

"So did I. Sorry."

"Me too."

"See there?" Cole put an arm around each of the girls. "Now we're all happy!"

"_Are_ we all happy, Cole?" Steph asked her brother.

"Yeah, Cole," Anna Maria echoed. "Are we?"

He knew exactly what the girls meant. Now that a second person knew his secret, would he be okay? Would he want to tell more people? He gave the only answer that he knew to give:

"I really don't know."

* * *

Third chapter! You probably saw that coming, but I hope that I did it justice. Please let me know what you think! Reviews help me keep myself accountable and consistent!

I'm planning (at the moment) to have twenty chapters in this story, ten per school semester, and I'm actually writing Chapter 7 now. I'm pretty excited about where the story's going, and I hope you'll be too!

FEATURED SONGS:

"Father (Mama) of Mine" by Everclear

"Reflection" from _Mulan_, by Christina Aguilera

**In the Next Chapter: While Cole considers coming out to his friends, Trey's animosity towards Cameron grows stronger, and the Vocal DynamiX have some special guests.**


	4. True to Your Heart

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: Glee ain't mine. Leave me alone.

**A/N: Holy crap! Stories can have covers now! Time to get a little creative! In the meantime, I'm gonna try to shell out a chapter every Monday until the "Winter Finale" (also known as Chapter 10). But for now, enjoy Chapter 4!**

Chapter 4 – True to Your Heart

It was official: when the two joined forces, Stefania Hudson and Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce were the most annoying bitches in all of Cincinnati.

Or at least, that was how Coleridge Hudson perceived it.

Currently, the two girls were in Cole's room. The boy was lying on his bed in agonized annoyance as they talked on either side of him.

"Seriously Cole, you've got to do it."

"The sooner, the better."

"Can't be in the closet, forever."

After coming out to his best friend a couple of weeks prior, it seemed that the girl had conspired with his sister to get him out of the closet as soon as possible.

"Why are you two so dead-set on this?" Cole asked tiredly.

"Because it's killing you!" Steph said. "Honey, keeping this inside is not good for you."

"I'm with her," Anna Maria agreed. "This'll tear you up."

"But I'm just not ready to come out to Mom and Dad!" the boy insisted. "I only told _you_," he pointed to his sister, "because you caught me—"

"Caught him doing what?" Anna Maria asked.

"You don't wanna know."

"Gross! Gays do that!"

"You've met your moms."

"Touché. But I meant gay guys. They just seem more refined!"

"Hey where'd Cole even go?"

The two girls looked at the bed and realized that the boy was now missing. They ran out of the bedroom and found the boy in the living room downstairs playing a spirited game of Angry Birds.

"Cole!" Steph screamed.

"You can plan how you're gonna push me out of the closet all you want, but I draw the line at discussing my masturbation habits," he answered, not even looking up from his game.

Anna Maria sensitively responded to her friend's needs by promptly snatching the phone out of his hands and stuffing it into her bra.

"And now that I know that you hate these," she pointed to her breasts, "I _know_ you won't try to get it back."

Cole rolled his eyes. "Again I ask, why do you want to get me out so badly?"

"We just want to do what's best for you," his sister responded.

"What's best for me," the boy began, "is to _not_ reveal my biggest secret before I'm ready. I don't want to come out right now, and neither of you is gonna say anything!"

"But—"

"No buts!" Cole looked at his best friend. "And I'm surprised at you, A.M. As the daughter of lesbians, I thought you'd be a little more sensitive to this."

The girl frowned guiltily for a second before speaking. "He's right…Mami told me that...someone...outed her in high school…and it was hell for her…"

Anna Maria decided to keep it to herself that it was Finn Hudson that outed her mother. She continued, "Everybody knew before she wanted them to, and she was miserable. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. We'll keep quiet, Cole. Promise."

Steph frowned, but agreed. "Okay…if you both really think that, then we won't say anything. I promise, too."

The boy smiled for the first time since they barged into his room. "Thanks."

"So Cole…," the Latina raised an eyebrow, "what exactly were you looking at when Steph caught you?"

* * *

The next day, during homeroom, Cameron walked into the glee room, where Beth Corcoran was making notes at the desk in her small office.

"Hey, Mrs. Corcoran. You wanted to see me?"

The teacher smiled. "Hey Cameron, have a seat." He did and she went on. "Now I know that Sectionals aren't for a couple of months, but there's something that I could use your help with concerning the group."

"What's that?"

"Dancing. Frankly, other than you, the club…," she paused. It was quite difficult for Beth to be mean, even in the form of constructive criticism. "…isn't exactly…the most…"

"They suck?" Cameron supplied.

"Yes." She took a deep breath, as if even implying an insult was an ordeal. "I'm curious as to where you learned to dance so well."

"I've been taking lessons for years now at the Tappin' Toes Dance Studio. I know both of the owners personally, and I take private lessons along with my regular classes."

"Do you think that you could get them to come by and teach the glee club a couple of tricks?"

"Sure," he replied, then stood up. "I'll call now." The boy stepped outside of her office and dialed a number on his cell phone.

"Hello?" a bright female voice spoke through the other line.

"Hi, Aunt Brittany!"

"I'm not an ant, I'm a human being! But I _am_ responsible for the signing of the peace treaty between the fire ant and weaver ant colonies at the end of their civil war."

"Aunt Brit—"

"The Battle of Ant Hill was so scary!"

"Brittany," he sighed, deciding to ignore the "aunt" prefix for the sake of time, "this is Cameron Evans."

"Oh, Trouty Mouth, Junior!"

The boy put a hand over his mouth once more before very reluctantly saying, "Yeah…"

"Hi, there! You know, Santana taught me a song about your dad. Want me to sing it to you?"

"No…no thanks…" The boy was already familiar with Santana's song. "Can I talk to Uncle Mike?"

"Sure, but I'll be sure to make a recording of that song for you!"

"Thanks…" There was a brief pause and a shuffling sound before a male voice spoke into the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Uncle Mike, it's Cam."

"Hey bud, what's up? And why is Brittany talking about the abolition of ant spray?"

"Never mind, you don't want to get in it," he replied. "But I do have a favor to ask."

* * *

"Where do you think Cameron was?" asked Julia.

It was currently lunchtime, and all but Cameron were present. They were seated at one table now that Steph and Anna Maria's fight had been resolved.

"Don't know," Steph replied, "but he missed all of homeroom for it."

"My wish is that he was being tortured," Anna Maria quipped. "Tied to a chair while being forced to watch a slideshow with normal-lipped people."

A soft voice whispered in her ear from behind very slowly: "Tough luck, Satan."

As much as she'd later deny it, the Latina did, in fact, scream loudly and jump out of her seat in fear, much to the pleasure of the others.

"Nice one, Cam!" said Steph.

"Yes, well done, I must say!" Julia agreed.

Anna Maria grumbled. "Dumbass…"

As the curly haired boy took his seat, Cole asked, "So where were you at homeroom?"

"Glee room," he responded. "Ms. Corcoran needed to ask me something."

"Favorite brand of chapstick?"

"No," he replied with a swift middle finger. "I promised to keep it a surprise, but…let's just say that there'll be some special guests in practice today."

"Um," Trey spoke up for the first time since Cameron appeared. "Got to pee…be right back."

He left without another word, not even looking at Cameron.

"Okay, what's with him?" the Evans boy asked. "He's been like this for weeks now!"

The group turned to Steph for an answer.

"What?" the girl asked confusedly.

"Stefania, we've all noticed that you and Michael have become closer within these past few weeks…as strange as it may seem," Julia told her.

"So, Hudson," said Anna Maria, "what's up with you and Asian, Junior?"

"Nothing's up with me and 'Asian, Junior,'" she replied honestly.

"But something's wrong with him, though," Cameron spoke up softly. "Is he mad at _me_ or something?"

Steph was torn: on one hand, Trey trusted her to not say anything. But on the other, Cameron looked pretty upset.

Reading her face, Cameron reached a conclusion. "Let me guess: you _do_ know what I did, but you also promised him that you wouldn't say anything, right?"

Steph nodded. "Sorry."

The biracial boy sighed. "It's okay…you shouldn't break your promise."

Cole Hudson, who had been silent for most of the period, finally had something to say: "So…can you tell us anything about this special guest in the club, today?"

Cameron smiled appreciatively for the subject change before responding. "No hints. Maybe you should come by and see for yourself."

"No thanks."

"Come on, Cole!" Julia insisted as Trey silently returned without glancing at anyone. "All of the legacies have joined glee except for you!"

"I just don't think I'd be into that," Cole replied. "If it's not who I am, then why bother joining?"

"So you're saying that people should be honest and true to themselves, Cole? Isn't that a little hypocritical?"

Cole and Anna Maria shot daggers at Steph; the other three, however, were completely in the dark.

"I've got to pee," Cole said slowly and darkly. It was obvious that his bladder wasn't full, but no one wanted to question him as he stood up and grabbed his things.

"Wait up," Anna Maria said, a little less angrily, but still angrily. She took her things as well and followed him out of the room.

Trey, Julia, and Cameron looked at Steph confusedly. Cole's sister now looked embarrassed and a little guilty.

"What the hell was that about?" asked Cameron.

"…I…I gotta go find him."

And she, too, was gone.

* * *

In the hallway outside of the cafeteria, Cole and Anna Maria were standing…well…Anna Maria was standing. Cole was pacing.

"I can't believe her!" he screamed as softly as possible without others hearing. "I specifically said that I didn't want anyone to know, and—ugh!"

"Coley, please calm down," the Latina soothed. This was a strange moment in their relationship: for once, it was Anna Maria who was providing the comfort.

"She's my freaking sister!" the boy said, his eyes now leaking. "And she promised! Now everyone's gonna know!"

The girl was unsure of what to say. It was always Cole who was good with the words. So she did the only thing that she could: she hugged him.

Cole calmed after a few seconds. "Thanks…I know this is a little weird for you."

"Not really," the girl replied honestly. "It was just a little crush, and it's been weeks. Honestly, I'm really okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Maybe it's because we're such good friends."

"We really are," he replied softly. "Thanks for being so great."

"Ahem."

The pair broke their hug to find a nervous Steph standing in front of them.

"Cole, I'm so sorry. That was really a low blow."

"Yes it was," Cole replied. His face was unreadable, but his tone was clear. The boy was not happy.

"It's just…I hate that we live in a world where coming out is so difficult for you…I guess I took out some of my anger at society out on you. I just don't like that you feel like you have to hide. But anyway, what I said wasn't fair. If you aren't ready, I'll respect that."

Anna Maria looked at Cole for a response. She didn't want to say anything until he did. If he was still angry, so was she. If he was forgiving, so was she. One could say a lot about Ms. Lopez-Pierce, but they couldn't call her disloyal.

There was a long pause before Cole spoke quickly. "Okay, fine."

Both girls looked shocked.

"In your weird intrusive Stefania way, you were trying to help…I guess…," the boy continued. "Just…cool it, okay?"

The bell marking the end of lunch tolled, and the Hudson girl offered a few more apologies before leaving the two alone.

"Are you really okay?" the Latina asked her friend as they walked to Cole's next class.

"Yeah," he replied. "Steph's not a bad person at heart. She…just goes too far when trying to make others happy."

The girl nodded, then suddenly spoke. "Come to glee today."

"A.M., no—"

"I know what you said, and don't have to sing or anything. Just watch."

"Why?" Cole asked. They were now outside of his classroom.

"I can tell that you need your friends right now," she told him softly. "Just please just watch." She then added with a more enticing tone, "And you can find out who Cameron's special guest is!"

The Latina poked her friend in the chest, and he giggled like the Pillsbury doughboy before responding mid-laugh. "Okay, fine! I'll go!"

The girl smiled victoriously as she walked off.

* * *

That afternoon in Vocal DynamiX rehearsal, all of the students were waiting for Ms. Corcoran…well, almost all of them.

"Where the hell is Cameron?" asked Anna Maria.

"Cole, read the note again," said Julia.

Cole, who was sitting in a front corner of the room, looked at the piece of paper in his hands. "'Students, I am currently at a doctor's appointment, but I'll be back in time to watch the progress that you make with our special guests. One of your own should be introducing them shortly.'"

Julia turned to the Latina. "Happy?"

"Hell no," insisted Anna Maria. "Why is _he_ suddenly teacher's pet? It's racist!"

Trey surprised everyone with a scoff. He never laughed at Anna Maria's jokes towards Cameron. Steph, however, spoke up.

"Once again, A.M., you cannot call racism whenever things don't go your way."

Anna Maria responded with an eye roll as Cameron entered the room with a grin.

"Okay, guys! Ms. Corcoran talked to me earlier today—"

Cough. "Jungle fever." Cough.

"And what we discussed," Cameron continued, putting a hand in front of his view of Anna Maria, who had spoken, "was the group's…hesitancy when it comes to dancing. Therefore, she asked me to bring in some experts, and here they are!"

On cue, the tall Asian man entered, a blonde woman following him. Trey and Anna Maria were stunned.

"Hey everyone," Mike began with a wave. "I'm Mike Chang, and I'm the co-owner of the Tappin' Toes Dance Studio. And I'm Trey's father." He pointed to his son proudly.

"And I'm Brittany S. Pierce, of course." Brittany waved as well; although her wave was more reminiscent of a homecoming queen riding on her parade float. "I am the more attractive co-owner of the studio, future wife of the incredibly sexy Santana Lopez, mom of the best person in this school," she forwarded to Anna Maria, who also gave a homecoming queen wave, "and I'm also the official peace representative of the weaver and fire ant colonies."

Everyone who wasn't used to Brittany stared at her with an "Is she serious?" look. One guy even laughed. He stopped when the large chemistry book collided with his face.

"Anyway…" Mike took over, "Brittany and I are here to help you guys with your dancing.

* * *

About forty minutes later, the group was taking a break. Cameron and Julia were talking to Mike and Brittany.

"So what do you think?" asked Julia.

"I'll admit, I was worried when you all first started," Mike began, "but in the course of forty minutes, you've really improved! I love the drive of your group."

"But why is Little Finn sitting in the corner?" asked Brittany, pointing to Cole.

"He's not actually in Vocal DynamiX, Aunt Britt," Cameron replied. "A.M. just asked him to come watch."

Brittany wouldn't have this. "Little Finn! Come here!"

Cole recognized his nickname and approached them. "What's up, Aunt Britt?"

"Let's take a walk." She put an arm around him and took him into the hallway before anyone could stop them.

'So…how can I help you, Aunt Brittany?" he asked nervously, taking a swig from his water bottle.

"Have you come out yet?"

Spit take.

"Wh—What!"

"Have you come out of the closet," she now stated as if she'd done nothing out of the ordinary.

Cole thought to lie, but then decided that he was tired of lying to people. "How did you know?" he asked tiredly.

"I'm Brittany S. Pierce, bitch."

"Fair enough." Over the years, the group had learned to not question the blonde woman. What some may have perceived as ditzy was actually…a very unique outlook on the world, combined with a ridiculously strong intuition.

"So, have you come out yet or not?" Brittany asked wearily, tired of repeating herself.

"No, not yet," he said softly.

"Why not?"

"I don't know…what if they don't take it well?"

"They who?"

"Mom, Dad, my friends. Everyone."

"Rachel has two dads, she won't care."

"And Dad?"

"Well…Finn told everyone that Santana was gay, so—"

"Wait, what?" The boy was shocked. His own father?

"Yeah, that sucked for her." They were silent for a second; then Brittany had a new thought: "You know what got her through that?"

"What?"

"The New Directions."

Cole sighed, "Aunt Britt…"

"Everyone was really nice about it, and even your dad apologized. If it wasn't for the glee club, she may not have gotten through it."

The boy remained silent. "I know we tell stories a lot, but glee was a really big part of our lives. We made friends that we never thought we would. Did you know that before I dated Santana, I dated a nerd in a wheelchair? And he wasn't bad in bed! Although, he never topped either—"

"Okay, I see your point!" said Cole, desperately cutting her off. "But do you really think that glee could help me the way it helped Aunt Santana?"

"You'll never know until you try." They were now outside of the glee room. "And you may want to consider telling someone else about your gayness. If you don't want to tell your parents, maybe your friends? They'll help you through it."

"Maybe…" Cole smiled at the woman. "Thanks, Aunt Brittany…how did you do that? Make me feel better?"

The woman repeated herself. "I'm Brittany, bitch."

They walked back in the room, and Mike greeted them.

"Everything okay, guys?"

"Yeah," Cole responded. He then turned to the group. "I was kinda hoping…that I could maybe join the club. I can get an audition song together soon—

Anna Maria cut him off with a hug, during which she looked at Brittany and whispered "Thanks, Mom."

"Cole, following an audition, you are more than welcome to join the club!"

Everyone turned to the door to find the source of the voice. It was Beth Corcoran.

"Thanks so much for coming, Mr. Chang, Ms. Pierce," the teacher said to the two dancers.

"It was _their_ pleasure," Brittany responded, forwarding to the students.

"We actually haven't been formally introduced." Beth held out her hand. "Beth Corcoran."

"B-Beth Corcoran?" Mike stuttered.

Beth smiled warmly, used to people's shock at her name. "You've probably heard of my mom, Shelby. She's taught Broadway workshops all across the country; maybe you two have run into each other?"

Mike submitted himself to that answer. "That must be it."

* * *

"Brittany, do you know who that is?" Mike whispered sometime later, getting a minute alone with his long-time dance partner.

"Who?" Mike pointed to Beth. "Oh, Quinn's daughter?"

"Wha—how did you know that already?"

"I'm Brittany, bitch."

* * *

The next day, Cameron and Julia were walking to the cafeteria.

"I noticed something strange during glee rehearsal yesterday," stated Julia.

"What?" the boy asked.

"It was Trey. Sure, he put his best foot forward during the dance training, but whenever Uncle Mike came around, he worked three times as hard. Of course, three times zero is still zero, but I'll give him points for trying."

"Well, that's not too weird," stated Cameron. "His dad's a dancer, so he probably just wanted to—oh!"

"What? What?"

Cameron sighed. "I think I get why Trey's mad at me! I think that _he_ thinks that I'm trying to take his dad away or something."

"What do you mean?" Julia asked as they approached the cafeteria.

"Well," he began, "this all started when Trey learned that his dad's been teaching me dancing for years. Trey's never really liked it, so the fact that I do must really freak him out."

"That's great!" Julia exclaimed, then revised her statement. "I mean, not that you freak him out. Just that now you know why. And you can talk to him, and this'll all be over!"

"Good call." They were now at the table where the other four were waiting. "Hey Trey—"

"Hold on, Cam," Steph interrupted, who was seated beside her brother. "Cole wants to talk to all of us."

Cameron nodded, and he and Julia took their seats, Julia in between Cameron and Trey.

Anna Maria whispered in a nervous Cole's ear. "You absolutely sure? I know my mom can be persuasive, but—"

"I'm ready. These are my friends. I trust them." That didn't stop them from taking a deep breath though.

"So Cole, is everything okay?" asked Julia.

"Yeah, is something wrong?" Trey questioned.

"I'm…I'm not sure."

"Nothing is wrong," Steph said very strongly.

"Agreed," said the Latina. "Nothing at all."

"Right…" Cole took another deep breath. He was already beginning to regret this, but he couldn't turn back now. And truthfully, he _wanted_ his closest friends to know.

"For a while now…I've been feeling…different about some things. And…these things…um…," he gulped, "Well…alright, I'm just gonna say it…I'm…gay."

Cole held his head down. He didn't cry, as he did when both Steph and Anna Maria found out. He just didn't want to see their initial reactions. The girls that sat on either side of him were completely focused on him.

"Honey?"

All were startled when Julia softly spoke. Cole looked up with hope in his eyes.

"I love you." Julia smiled as she said it. "And it's important that you know that."

"Thank you, Julia," he replied softly. He wouldn't be at peace, however, until he heard something from all of his friends.

Steph, sensing her brother's desperation, gave the guys a pleading look.

Trey took the bait. "Cole, not that I'm not happy for you, but I don't get the big deal here."

"Trey!" Steph whispered.

"That's not an insult!" the Asian insisted. "It's just…I always kinda thought you were gay. It was never really an issue."

"I agree," said Cameron. It was the first semi-conversation he and Trey had had in a while. "I mean, Anna Maria's the Spawn of Satan, but she's not unattractive, and let's be honest. She's been throwing herself at you like a slut for years, and you never did anything about it."

Once again, food was thrown at Cameron. Once again, no one did anything about it. Today's choice of food? Gravy soaked roast beef.

As Cameron groaned, Trey cleaned up his explanation. "What we're saying is," he started, "you were our bro before, and you still are now. No worries."

"Yeah," added Cameron. "We love you, man."

Cole grinned like a small child. "You guys don't know how much that means to me."

Julia and Trey got up and each gave Cole a hug. Cameron got up as well, but settled for a handshake, as he was still covered in a little gravy.

* * *

When lunch ended, the group began to disperse.

"Trey, you got a sec?" Cameron asked.

"Oh, yeah. With Cole's news, I forgot that you wanted to talk."

Cameron turned to Julia. "I'll see you in class." She waved to them and left. The boys began to walk to Trey's classroom, which was closer.

"So what's up?" the Asian asked a little nervously.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna back off with your dad."

Trey looked at him confusedly. "What exactly do you mean?"

Cameron sighed. "I know that it's been kinda weird for you since you learned about my lessons with your dad. I just want you to know that I'll back off."

Trey very uncomfortably stuttered. "L-Look, Cam…there's no issue here. It's-it's not weird, really."

"You sound weird."

"It's not weird."

"But you _sound_ weird."

"It's really not weird."

"But you—"

"Cameron!" A pause. "I'm okay. Promise."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"So," Cameron slowly started, "we're cool then?"

"Yeah. No worries."

"Okay then…I'd better get to class. See you later."

"See ya."

As Cameron left and Trey entered his own classroom, the Asian's mind began to wander.

"Who does Cameron think he is? As if he's _giving_ my dad back to me! Like I couldn't have a relationship with my dad if he were there…I'll show him and my dad. I can beat him on my own. I'll be better than Cameron…I'll make my dad proud…"

* * *

Chapter 4, ladies and gentlemen!

I thought I was gonna put a song in here, but once again, the story got away from me. The Brittany/Cole scene was another on-the-fly thing, and I really hope I did it justice., as it was my first time really writing Brittany. Please let me know if I screwed it up. And the Beth story is nowhere near finished, and neither is Cole's.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank my reviewers. As cheesy as this is about to sound, I smile when I read them. This isn't me fishing for reviews (although I wouldn't be offended!); I just wanted to thank everyone who had so far. Well...I'm off to design a cover for my story!

**In the Next Chapter: Trey and Cameron's friendship comes to a head, and Steph deals with issues of jealousy towards Julia.**


	5. Eye of the Tiger

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: Beth exists and is not a cheap plot device that was tossed away and forgotten. Therefore, Glee is not mine. :)

**A/N: So remember when I said that I'd update on Mondays? Well, I lied. Enjoy!**

Chapter 5 – Eye of the Tiger

Beth Corcoran was a nice person. While she wasn't as cut-throat as her adoptive mother, she was incredibly driven and determined. Her Achilles' heel in teaching, however, was her lack of authority. Beth _had_ the determination herself, but it was difficult for her to spread it to her students.

So as she observed the Vocal DynamiX practicing with their official choreographers, Mike Chang and Brittany S. Pierce, she couldn't help but become a little worried. With the exception of a handful, they were having difficulty getting ready. And their first competition was less than two months away!

When Brittany and Mike dismissed the group for a break before their vocal training, the teacher walked to the dancers.

"So what do you think?" she asked, hoping for the most honest answer.

Mike paused. "Honesty?" Beth nodded.

"They suck," said Brittany, without even caring whose feelings she hurt. Beth was silently thankful that the kids were out of earshot.

"They don't suck, Britt," Mike amended. "They're just…not getting any better. It's not that the group is bad…they just don't seem to be motivated."

"Well, they'd better get there soon. Sectionals are in early December and we don't even have a set list yet!" Beth said a little softly, not wanting the DynamiX to know that she was worried for them. "You both were in glee clubs in high school. What do you suggest?"

"You weren't in glee?" asked Mike.

"My mom and I were always on the move, so I had a tutor."

"Well," said Brittany, "with the New Directions, we had a lot of competitions between the members."

"That's right!" Mike remembered. "We did guys versus girls mash-up competitions…and there were the diva-offs!"

"'Diva-off?'" Beth questioned skeptically. "Is that even a real thing?"

"We made it one," the Asian man replied.

"Hmm…I suppose a little healthy competition wouldn't hurt," Beth mused.

"Unless _I'm_ involved," Brittany said proudly. "I am such a beast that anyone against me would end up in the hospital…Or at least, that's what Santana says in the bedroom."

"Okay class!" Beth turned to the class, not prepared to hear of the blonde's sexual exploits. "There's something I'd like to discuss!"

The class gathered, and Julia spoke on their behalf. "How can we help you, Ms. Corcoran? I believe that we can handle any task or challenge that you may throw at us!"

Beth spoke as Brittany's daughter rolled her eyes. "Thank you Julia. I _do_ actually have a challenge for you all to consider." The group listened closely. "Mike, Brittany, and I have noticed that the enthusiasm of the glee club has diminished since September, and we have an idea to help you gain some motivation."

She turned to Mike, who picked up the conversation. "When Brittany and I were in glee club—"

"Oh God!"

"Crap."

"Here we go again!"

"Seriously!"

"Ugh!"

"Quiet, you guys!"

"Anyway," Mike continued, ignoring the Vocal DynamiX that he knew best, "when we were in glee, to keep us energized, our director encouraged in-group competition."

"They're called diva-offs," Brittany picked up. "Basically, the baddest bitches sing it out, and you all determine who's better."

"Oh!" Julia stood up enthusiastically. "I just love stories about diva-offs! To this day, my aunts Rachel and Mercedes engage in them, and watching them sing it out is such a thrill!"

"Twenty bucks says she's having an orgasm right now," Anna Maria whispered to Cole, who snickered back.

"This kind of competition," said Beth, "can help you go outside of your comfort zones in an attempt to defeat your opponents, and at the same time, you gain a new respect for them and become closer. So your challenge for this week is to think about someone that you'd want to face in a challenge, or 'diva-off.' But for now, let's start our vocal training."

* * *

"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!"

Julia Hummel-Anderson loved having such a musical family. Currently, she was having a little impromptu vocal training with Rachel Berry Hudson and Mercedes Evans.

Rachel had been on Broadway for years and was now a successful Broadway producer, and Mercedes, after a prosperous career as a Grammy award winning R&B songstress, decided to settle down with her family once her daughter Lucy entered kindergarten. While making occasional appearances on television shows, Mercedes was also the owner of a nightclub that was much closer to home and to her husband and children.

Julia and her two favorite aunts were in a small auditorium, where Rachel was set to have rehearsals for a new play in the next hour. The three were taking advantage of their free time.

"Julia, you are getting so much better!" beamed Rachel.

"Yeah," Mercedes added. "You could give Berry a run for her money."

"I doubt I'm good as either of you," Julia said bashfully. "But I do appreciate your compliments."

Rachel turned to a corner of the stage. "Stefania, honey, are you sure you don't want to join us?"

Oh yeah…Steph was there too. But instead of vocal training, she was seated in the corner, texting Trey and not really paying them any attention.

"No thanks, Mom," she replied without looking up.

Rachel sighed sadly. Mercedes picked up on her friend's worry and decided to change the subject.

"So girls, how's the glee club going, anyway?"

"Oh excellent!" Julia replied. "Aunt Brittany and Uncle Mike encouraged our teacher to make us compete against each other! I've always wanted to have a true diva-off with one of my peers!"

The adult women smiled at each other. Mercedes spoke first. "Those were really some of my favorite times in glee club."

"Mine too," echoed Rachel. "A great opportunity to stretch one's vocal repertoire. As much as I loved doing so myself, I always got a thrill out of seeing the other members show off as well! You know, I have the impression that everyone thinks that I'm a little…narcissistic, but I really _did_ enjoy observing the talents of others!"

"Oh, I completely understand, Aunt Rachel!" Julia said avidly. "The trials of a true artist are simply cruel!"

Mercedes and Steph just looked at each other. No words were necessary to express what they were thinking.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from the back of the auditorium. "Rachel, you here?" The head of Blaine Hummel-Anderson poked through the doors. "Hey, everyone! Could I get a little help with the props?"

"Sure Daddy Blaine!" said Julia, leaving the stage.

"Of course," Rachel followed.

"I'll stay with Steph," Mercedes whispered to Rachel. "Try and figure out what's wrong."

"Thank you." Rachel smiled before leaving with Julia and Blaine.

Mercedes turned her attention to Rachel's daughter, who was now staring at the piano with a bored expression.

"Alright Steffy, talk to me." Mercedes pulled the piano bench over to Steph's corner and sat beside her. When it came to the women of the New Directions, Mercedes was Steph's favorite. If anyone could understand having to compete with a Broadway diva on a regular basis, it was Mercedes.

"Oh just the usual," the girl sighed. "Julia is Rachel Berry, Jr., and I'm the awkward redheaded stepchild."

"Now, cut that out," insisted Mercedes. "And have you talked to your mama about this?"

"Well…not exactly."

"She's not ignoring you on purpose, Steph."

"I know. She just has more in common with Julia than with me." The two had had this conversation before. "Sometimes, I just feel like I'm not good enough to be the great Rachel Berry's daughter."

Mercedes was a little shocked. This was a new element of their usual conversation. "Sounds like you're a little self-conscious." Steph shrugged before Mercedes continued. "You know what I liked best about diva-offs?" The girl shrugged again. "They made me feel powerful. Like…no matter how good your mom was, I was still strong enough to show that I could hold my own over her. I felt really confident."

Steph looked slightly intrigued as the woman kept going. "Not to say that Rachel was some kind of terrible villain. In her own Rachel Berry way, she did care about the rest of the club as individuals."

"Just like Julia."

"Don't go comparing yourself to her again," Mercedes warned. "If you want to stop feeling like you're second-best, then stop _settling_ for second-best."

* * *

When Blaine, Julia, and Rachel entered a few minutes later, Steph was standing in the middle of the stage proudly as Mercedes sat at the piano.

"Honey, what are you doing?" asked Rachel.

"Julia Hummel-Anderson!" her daughter announced, Rachel completely out of her mind at the moment. "I challenge you to a diva-off!"

Kurt and Blaine's daughter screamed happily and ran to hug her cousin. Mercedes, meanwhile, walked to the other adults.

"Why do I have a feeling that this was your doing?" Blaine asked Mercedes slyly. The woman smirked, yet remained tight-lipped. She noticed, however, that Rachel was silent as well.

"You okay, sweetie?" she asked.

Rachel sighed. "Yes…I'm just…why does she always go to you? Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that you're helping my daughter, but—"

Mercedes cut her off sympathetically. "But she's _your_ daughter." Rachel nodded, a little guilty. "It's okay, Rachel; I'm not mad. And as for Steph…"

They all stopped to look at the girls. Julia was rapidly talking to Steph, who displayed a soft, yet honest, smile. Mercedes continued.

"She's just…trying to find her own."

* * *

"A diva-off? You, by far, are the most hilarious disappointment that I have ever laid eyes on!"

Steph smirked at Trey Chang, who had just spoken. The two were currently in their first period class. Steph's brother, Cole, was also present. The teacher, however, was not.

"How am I a disappointment?" she asked Trey with a laugh.

"You join glee just to please your mom, and now you make her even happier with a diva-off? Way to kiss up!"

"First of all," Steph started, "_you_ only joined glee for your dad, so don't judge me. Second of all, I'm not actually doing the diva-off for mom. I'm doing it for me. I can't really explain it, but…I need to do this for my own sake. Not Mom's. Not Julia's."

"That's awesome, Steph," Cole spoke up. "It's cool to see you doing something like this on your own accord."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, you've made it clear to us that you're not entirely comfortable with the concept of glee club, and the fact that you're using this to better yourself and not to make yourself look good for Mom is pretty cool."

"All my life, I've been comparing myself to Julia," said his sister. "I just want to do something for me, you know?"

Cole smiled; Trey, on the other hand, appeared a little guilty. Steph was the only person understood the sense of competition that he had been placed under since he discovered Cameron's love of dance. They'd even joined glee together just to make their parents proud. Now, Steph was actually beginning to enjoy glee…or at least, she was discovering what it was all about. But Trey still wasn't a big fan of the whole thing. He liked the music, sure. But he wasn't a singer…and as much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't a dancer, either.

"Dude, you okay?"

Trey snapped out of his stupor to find Cole looking at him worriedly.

"Y-Yeah…where'd your sister go?"

"Bathroom. What was on your mind, Trey? You alright?"

"Um…yeah. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What made you decide to join the club?"

Cole was silent for a second. "Well, I guess I wanted to make friends mainly. Ever since I…told you guys my secret…I've kind of been looking for a sense of camaraderie. A group that I can make connections with, you know?

"So…," the Asian started, "it didn't have anything to do with your parents?"

Cole frowned. "Not at all. Unlike you and Steph, I'm not just gonna join a group to make my parents love me."

Trey gave him a smug look. "Oh yeah? And how's football going for you?"

Cole paled. "Damn, I forgot about that."

Trey continued, "So how _is_ football, buddy? Making Finn proud and trying out for the team?"

Steph returned, having just heard Trey. "I thought that Dad wasn't talking about football as much lately."

"He's not. Trey's just an ass."

"Face it, buddy," said Trey. "We may be on different oceans, but we're in the same boat."

"That's…a pretty big boat," mused Steph to herself. Then she looked at her brother. "So are you gonna talk to Dad about the football thing? And the _other_ thing?"

"Depends," he started. "Are _you_ gonna talk to Mom about the Julia thing?"

"As soon as Trey talks to Mike about the Cameron thing."

Trey grinned sarcastically. "Well, look at us, a bunch of liars!"

* * *

"Well, it seems that you've all taken our challenge to heart!"

It was another afternoon of Vocal DynamiX practice, and Beth smiled proudly as two of the club members hugged after engaging in their diva-off. As they took their seats, Beth continued.

"Stacy and Tiffany have done an excellent job at showing how some friendly competition can both challenge and stimulate us! Thanks ladies."

Julia raised her hand sharply. "Ms. Corcoran! I was wondering if we could extend my diva-off with Stefania. I'm not quite ready."

Beth thought for a minute. "How about this? On Saturday's rehearsal, I'll let you two go before we start dancing. Is that okay?"

As both girls nodded, Trey turned to Anna Maria. "What's she talking about?"

The Latina smirked, not looking at him. "Maybe if you weren't sleeping the whole rehearsal, you'd know what she meant."

"Come on, A.M. You know glee can get boring fast."

"Then why are you in it?"

"Just tell me!" he replied not wanting to open that door.

"Ms. C. scheduled a special rehearsal this Saturday morning at the dance studio. It'll be strictly dance based, and my mom and your dad are leading the charge…and apparently, Rachel Berry, Jr. and Rachel Berry's actual daughter are doing their diva-off before we actually start practice."

Trey remembered the diva-off, and he then thought about Saturday. His dad would be there…watching everything that went on…every kind of challenge.

"Ms. Corcoran!"

Beth stopped mid-statement to look at Trey. "Yes Trey, what is it?"

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I've got a question about the diva-offs."

"You want to be a diva, Chang?" remarked Anna Maria.

The class laughed before Beth spoke. "Go ahead, Trey."

"My _point_ was…does it have to be vocally based? Or can we do another form of challenge?"

"Well, Brittany and your father never actually specified," Beth said, more to herself than to Trey. "I guess any form of friendly competition can make us stronger as a whole. What do you have in mind?"

Trey stood up and turned to Cameron. "I'm challenging Cameron Evans to a dance-off!"

The room exploded in laughter. Cameron was one of the best dancers in Vocal DynamiX, if not _the_ best, and Trey was one of the worst. Among those not laughing, however, were Beth (who was failing to get the room to settle down), Trey (whose determined look did not falter), and Cameron.

"Dude, you don't have to do this."

"What's wrong, Cam? Can't handle a little _friendly competition_?"

Cameron sighed. Trey was his best friend, and he knew that the Asian was only doing this to look good in front of his dad.

"Trey, you promised me that you didn't have any issues with me and your dad," Cameron said, a little softer now.

"Like I said," Trey repeated smugly, "it's _just_ a little friendly competition."

He took a deep breath before answering. "Fine, Trey. If a dance-off, is _really_ what you want, then a dance-off is what you'll get."

The room went silent, and the short Asian boy grinned smugly before Cameron spoke again.

"But know this: In ten years, I've never given less than my best when it came to dancing. Don't expect me to go easy on you."

* * *

After practice, Steph caught up to Trey.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Beg pardon?"

"A dance-off? Really, Chang?"

"What's the big deal?" he countered. "You're challenging Julia."

"For different reasons!" she argued back. "I'm challenging Julia for my own reasons. You're challenging Cam just to show off in front of your dad!"

"As much as I appreciate your holier-than-thou attitude, Steph, I've got to practice my square step."

As he walked off, Steph screamed, "It's _box_ step, you jackass!"

* * *

That Saturday, the Tappin' Toes Dance Studio had cancelled all regularly scheduled morning rehearsals to make room for the Vocal DynamiX glee club to have special rehearsals. It was about a half hour before rehearsals were supposed to start. Currently, Anna Maria was seated in a corner with Brittany.

"Hey," laughed the girl to her mother, "did you know that 'New Directions' sounds like 'Nude Erections?'"

The blonde countered her. "If you shorten 'Vocal DynamiX,' you get 'VD.'"

"Touché."

Elsewhere, Steph was on the phone with Rachel.

"Mom, stop apologizing…I understand that you have to work, really…that's sweet of you, but you don't have to rush…Uncle Kurt's gonna record it, anyway. We can watch it together…Great…Love you, too."

Julia walked over once Steph was done. She seemed to have been ending her own phone conversation.

"Papa or Daddy?" asked Steph.

"Daddy," the blonde replied nervously. "Apologizing for having to work."

"Mom too," she replied, holding up her phone. "And Dad's got a practice, too. He probably won't get home until we do."

"Papa Kurt should be here any minute," Julia said breathily. "He'll be thrilled to record this."

"I know you're not nervous, but _I'm_ freaking the hell out," Steph told her.

"What do you mean 'not nervous?'"

"Don't act like you're not good," Steph replied with a smirk.

"And _you_ don't sell yourself short," Julia told her, a serious expression on her face. "You may not have trained as long as I have, but you're good, and I'm honestly a little nervous."

"Is it weird that I want to consider your nervousness as a compliment and thank you?"

They both laughed, and their nerves were gone. Now they were just ready to have some fun. They continued laughing as Cameron approached.

"Good morning ladies. How are we feeling?"

"We're doing good," Steph replied with a smile.

"And you?" asked Julia.

The boy shrugged.

"I really don't think you should be dancing against Trey, Cameron," said Steph. "He's not doing it for the right reasons. Hell, he doesn't even _like_ to dance!"

"I know that," Cameron replied. "But he's so set on this. What can I do?"

Julia made a suggestion. "Let him win?"

"And if Rebecca Black asked you to let her win the part of Christine from _Phantom_, would you do it?"

"He's not…_that_ bad," said Julia slowly, trying to help.

Steph argued. "Instead of box step, he called it the _square_ step."

"Well…" Julia was just looking for straws to grasp now. "At least he got the right shape?"

* * *

"Okay, everyone! In five minutes, we'll start the diva-off, followed by the dance-off!" shouted Beth Corcoran to the group as they slowly moved to their places.

"Hey Beth!" Mike called her over to where he was standing. "I'd like you to meet some of the parents. Everyone, this is…" He briefly paused, not wanting to give a last name. "This is Beth, the kids' glee club director. Beth, this is my lovely wife, Tina."

Tina Chang shook Beth's hand with a smile.

"And these are Cameron's parents, Mercedes and Sam Evans."

More handshakes.

"And this is Kurt Hummel-Anderson, one of Julia's fathers."

Once more.

"And this—"

"Ahem!" Mike turned to Brittany, who had interrupted him. "What's wrong, Britt?"

"I'd like to introduce my hot piece of ass personally, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead," Mike responded with a smile.

"This is the sexy ass State Senator Santana Lopez. Thanks to her, _you_ can get married now. You're welcome."

"Um…I'm actually not a lesbian; though I do support the cause. Congratulations on the engagement, Senator."

Santana nodded her thanks before asking. "What was your last name, again?"

"It's Co—"

"Don't we have some competitions to start!" screamed Mike, cutting the woman off.

Beth, interrupted, checked her watch and gasped. "You're right!" She turned to the group. "Thanks for coming this morning, guys! Now before we begin, I believe we've got a couple of competitions!"

The room cheered, and the cousins did a quick round of Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who would go first. Julia – paper. Steph – rock.

As Julia walked forward, Anna Maria commented to Cole. "So the next time someone throws a rock at me, remind me to get out my handy dandy sheet of notebook paper."

The boy laughed. He was really glad that after her crush on him, they were already in such a good place again. Currently, however, his attention was on his cousin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Julia Hummel-Anderson, and in the nature of challenging myself, my song today will reflect the pop culture of the early twenty-first century, a genre in which I am admittedly not strongest. And I'd like to dedicate this song to my very dear fathers."

Kurt smiled behind his camcorder, already recording the diva-off for Blaine, Finn, and Rachel to watch later.

**_JULIA:_**

**_I will not make the same mistakes that you did._**

**_I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery._**

**_I will not break the way you did,_**

**_You fell so hard._**

**_I've learned the hard way to never let it get that far…_**

**_Because of you_**

**_I never stray too far from the sidewalk._**

**_Because of you_**

**_I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt._**

**_Because of you_**

**_I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me._**

**_Because of you_**

**_I am afraid…_**

When Julia was finished with the rest of the song, the room applauded happily. The girl, herself, was in tears and went to hug her teary-eyed father, who quickly handed Mercedes the camera before hugging the girl. Mercedes made sure to get the hug on film, knowing that Blaine would want to see this father-daughter moment. When the applause died down, everyone turned expectantly to Steph.

"How in the hell am I supposed to follow that?" the girl thought to herself. She turned to the crowd in front of her, and noticed that Mercedes was now holding the camera, wanting to be the one to get Steph on film instead of Kurt.

"Don't know how I'm supposed to follow that," she chuckled, and the room chuckled along with her. "I don't really have anyone to dedicate this to, but this song describes how I've been feeling lately."

**_STEPH:_**

**_She never slows down._**

**_She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone,_**

**_Feels like its all coming down._**

**_She won't turn around_**

**_The shadows are long and she fears if she cries that first tear,_**

**_The tears will not stop raining down._**

**_So stand in the rain,_**

**_Stand your ground,_**

**_Stand up when it's all crashing down._**

**_You stand through the pain,_**

**_You won't drown,_**

**_And one day, what's lost can be found._**

**_You stand in the rain!_**

Every adult in the room was beaming on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Hudson, but no one larger than Mercedes. But when the applause started, no one's was louder than Julia's. Steph smiled as well. There was something about singing that song, along with the applause, that inspired her. She even wanted to talk to her mother about everything she had been going through, from her insecurities with Julia, to her actual initial reasons for joining the Vocal DynamiX. Nevertheless, Steph believed that she finally realized why her parents and their friends would talk about it so much.

"Hey Ms. C.," said Anna Maria after Steph's song.

Mike Chang was inwardly happy that Santana's daughter had not used the teacher's full name. Now was not the time for that revelation.

"Yes, Anna Maria?"

"For Asian, Junior's sake, I vote that we cancel the dance-off."

"Shut up, A.M." Trey walked ahead without looking at her.

Cameron turned to the Latina. "Thanks for trying."

"Go easy on him, Trouty."

As Cameron followed his friend— were they still friends? —up to the front, their mothers looked at each other nervously.

"What do you think?" asked Mercedes to Tina.

"He's been practicing every night this week; he seems really determined." She looked to her husband. "Mike, any thoughts?"

"Trey may have been cramming in the basics this week, but…his heart just isn't in it. And with Cameron having ten years under his belt…this isn't gonna be pretty."

* * *

It wasn't pretty at all. Unlike the diva-off, during the dance-off, both competitors faced off at the same time. As the song, _Eye of the Tiger _fittingly enough, played, it was clear that one of the boys was much better than the other. And the applause at the end of the song was obviously for just one of the two contenders. As the group dispersed, Cameron walked up to Trey, his hand extended.

"Good show out there. You really—"

"Don't patronize me," the shorter boy replied softly. "You rocked, and I sucked."

"Trey, your dad doesn't c—"

"Leave him out of this!"

By this time, others were starting to pay attention and slowly walked over.

Cameron responded. "You're making too big of a deal about this, man. Now, I'm telling you this as your friend: you need to grow the hell up."

"Don't tell me what to do, Evans! I know you may _think_ you are, but you're NOT my dad!"

"I knew you weren't cool with this…I'm not trying to take your dad away! And you can't just pretend to like something just try and make him happy!"

"If Cole and Steph can do it, then why can't I?"

The adults in the room turned to the now nervous Hudson twins. They certainly did not want to be brought into this.

"Guys, let's take it easy," said Beth, trying to stop their fight.

"What _they_ do isn't my business," Cameron said to Trey, referring to Steph and Cole. "But what you are trying to do is affecting me. And this club! What do expect me to do? Quit my dance classes? That's not fair! I mean, it's not _my_ fault if you're too big of a baby to see past your jealousy!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"More of a man than you. At least I'm honest with how I feel!"

"You know, you really do have a smartass mouth. And here's a secret: Anna Maria was right the whole time. Your mouth's huge! Even bigger than your dad's!"

Multiple adults were trying to stop this now, but to no avail.

Cameron spoke darkly. "Take that back, you son of a bitch."

"And now you bring my mother into this!"

"Take it back!" he repeated, ignoring his mention of Tina.

"No."

"TAKE IT BACK!"

"Or what?" A shove.

"Oh, I'll show you what!"

Punches were thrown. Screaming ensued. Curses were flared. Soon, each of the boys was being angrily restrained by his father.

"Take it back, you big baby!"

"Or what? You'll suck my brains out with that vacuum of yours!"

Cameron lunged, and Sam struggled to hold him back. Suddenly, the least likely person got in-between the boys and their dads and started to yell.

"Alright, that is enough!" It was Beth Corcoran. Gone was the nice quiet teacher. This was a disciplinarian. "I will not have either one of you stand in the way of this group! We have Sectionals in less than two months, and I refuse to put up with this kind of immaturity! Until I can see a clear change in attitude, you are both suspended from Vocal DynamiX!"

"What?"

"It was his fault!"

"Quiet!" Even Anna Maria had to admit that the teacher was pretty scary right now. "You both are dismissed."

"This is my dad's place! You can't kick me out!"

"But I can," Mike said sternly. "Let's go." He briefly turned to his partner. "Hold it down, Britt." Grabbing his son sharply by the shoulder, they were soon gone, Tina at their heels.

"We're leaving too," said Mercedes. "And believe me, young man, this public display of violence will not go unpunished. You were raised better than that."

An angry Mercedes led the Jones clan out of the studio, leaving Beth, Kurt, Santana, Brittany, and the remaining members of the glee club.

"Alright guys," said Beth after a brief silence. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Holy crap! Well, you know the drill! Lather, rinse, review, repeat.

It seems that when the writing gets away from me, things somehow work out. The Steph/Mercedes scene literally did not exist until I started typing. How am I doing with the characterization of the original New Directions?

And the Trey/Cameron arc is advancing! Yay for plot development! I'm probably gonna post every Monday and Thursday until I run out of pre-written chapters. Hopefully, I can have the full story completed by the end of the summer. In the meantime, what did you think?

FEATURED SONGS:

"Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson

"Stand in the Rain" by Superchick

**In the Next Chapter: The group deals with the aftermath of Trey and Cameron's fight, and more secrets are revealed.**


	6. I'm Coming Out

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: Insert witty disclaimer about how I don't own Glee here.

**A/N: Though the title may be a dead giveaway to what will happen, here's the next chapter of DynamiX! The first scene takes place immediately after the last chapter.**

Chapter 6 – I'm Coming Out

Stefania and Coleridge Hudson drove home from their Saturday practice in relative silence. Both were too nervous to actually speak. From Trey and Cameron's massive fight, to the suddenly badass Beth Corcoran, today had been interesting. But that was not the biggest issue on their minds.

"I…cannot…believe that Trey dragged us down with him! Seriously, why the hell would he say that out loud! And with the gossip queen duo that is Kurtcedes, of course Mom and Dad know by now! And why aren't you saying anything? Please, join me in this freak-out session!"

Cole turned desperately to his sister in the driver's seat. She hadn't said a word since she began driving.

"Actually," she said slowly, eyes still on the road, "I've decided to come clean with Mom about everything."

"Why?"

"Well, before I decided to do the diva-off," she began, "I had a long talk with Aunt Mercedes. She helped me realize that some of my anger and jealousy at Julia stems from my own insecurities. Once I gained confidence in myself and found the perfect song to describe my feelings, I just…felt better. And I really want to talk to Mom about it. I'm tired of hiding, Cole."

She had an honest smile on her face for about two seconds, and then she quickly amended her statement.

"That's not to say that you should talk to them just because I did. I'm really not trying to push you out of the closet anymore; I just—"

"It's okay, Steph," he laughed. "I know that wasn't towards me…but Trey _did_ put my name in that statement, so Mom and Dad will expect me to say something."

"You could always tell Dad that you don't like football," she suggested.

Cole was silent before responding. "Sure."

From then on, the only sounds in the vehicle came from the radio until Steph pulled their Escalade into the driveway. Cole then spoke up once more.

"And…the other thing…I mean, my _other_ secret…"

"Yeah," Steph questioned, forcing herself to not be too pushy.

"Maybe…I'll start to think about it. I'm tired of hiding, too."

* * *

"Daddy Blaine, you are not gonna believe what happened at practice today!"

Outside of the Hummel-Anderson residence, Blaine was seated on the porch and grinned at his husband and daughter.

"Don't bother, Jules," Blaine started, "I already got calls from Sam and Mike asking to keep an eye on Lucy and Tyler so they didn't have to hear the yelling. That's actually why I'm sitting out here. Did the boys really get physical?"

"Honey, it was terrible!" Kurt told him. "They've literally been best friends since birth; seeing them fight was just awful!"

"What happened?" Blaine inquired.

* * *

"According to Steph," Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce told her mothers in an office of the Tappin' Toes Dance Studio, "Asian, Jr. had been kinda sore with Trouty ever since he learned that he was dancing here for years."

* * *

"To my understanding, he even joined the Vocal DynamiX just to look good for his dad," said Julia to her fathers.

* * *

"Just like you did for me?"

Steph frowned guiltily at her mother. "Well…initially, yes."

"Stefania, as happy as I am that your interests are growing, you know that I wouldn't have cared either way, right?"

The girl smiled as the four sat at their dinner table. "I know, Mom. Honest."

* * *

"So after you convinced Steph to challenge Julia to the diva-off, I guess he got 'inspired' or something. It's not like I _wanted_ to challenge him. I knew this would happen! It's not my—"

"Just keep talking," Sam Evans interrupted, his wife next to him. Neither was in the mood for excuses.

"Okay."

* * *

"Before Trey challenged him, Cam tried to make everything right," Julia told Blaine and Kurt on their front porch, and Lucy Evans and Tyler Chang were approaching as she continued. "He said that Trey seemed a little peculiar: his words were fine, but his tone was far from it."

* * *

"Everyone knew that Trouty was gonna kick his butt, and a couple of us tried to convince him to go easy on the kid, but Evans wouldn't budge. Said it wasn't fair for him to have to give less that a hundred percent or something."

* * *

"But, seriously, it _wasn't_ fair! Why should I—"

"CAMERON!"

* * *

"So Cameron blew Trey out of the water, Trey got mad, and then they started yelling," said Cole. "Trey was mad at Cam for taking his dad away, and Cam was mad because Trey was…lying about who he really was…sorry Dad."

"No, I'm sorry, Cole," Finn said softly. He honestly felt horrible about this. "But why didn't you tell me about the football thing? It's been years!"

"Just…didn't want you to be disappointed in me. Cause I'm not the way you probably expected me to be." Cole wasn't even looking at his father now. The wood of the kitchen table was much more interesting.

"Stefania, do you feel the same way?" asked Rachel. The girl nodded. Tears began to fill Rachel's eyes, making both children feel guiltier.

"Mom, please don't cry," her daughter pleaded.

Rachel took her daughter's hand; Finn did the same with his son. "Don't you ever," Rachel began, "let yourself feel this way without talking to one of us. Is that clear? There is nothing that your father and I would change about either one of you. We love you for who you are, not who you think we want you to be."

As the twins nodded, Finn continued. "We love you both so much…and we don't get everything right, but…look, I know that I'm not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but I know this: I love each and every one of you so much. I feel honored to be the father for this family."

Then husband and wife took hands, as did brother and sister. Smiles filled the room.

* * *

"Then it got physical, and you broke us up. And that's basically what happened."

Tina sat at the table in front of her son, not sure of what to say. Mike was pacing around the room as he spoke.

"You realize that I've been training Cameron for years now, right?" the father asked his son, who nodded. Trey knew that he was in no position to argue. "So what made you think that anything would change between you and I? In the past ten years, have I ever made you feel like a second-class citizen?"

"Well, no, but I—"

"I mean, let's be honest, Michael Robert." The use of a full name was the universal parental sign of deep trouble. "The only thing that changed was your knowledge of the situation. But otherwise, there was nothing to worry about."

Mike sat at the table now. "We've always had a great relationship, Trey. The fact that I have shared interests with others does not diminish my relationship with you. I love you, okay?"

Trey had honestly never felt so foolish. "Yeah," he said embarrassedly, "and I love you, too. And I'm sorry."

'Accepted," Mike replied with a small smile that Trey returned.

"Wipe that smile off your face, Michael the Third. We haven't even _begun_ to discuss your punishment." It was now Tina's turn to be the bad cop. "And you thought dressing up in sequined tops was bad. You ain't seen nothing, yet."

* * *

"Um…Julia, can Steph and I come by your place today? I need to talk to your dads."

It was lunchtime when Cole asked this question. About two weeks had passed since the "incident."

"Of course, Cole," responded Julia. "They're both taking the day off, so you've actually chosen the perfect day to talk to them."

"Why are you going to see Klaine?" Anna Maria asked.

"…I'm gonna come out to Mom and Dad soon…I'd like some advice."

"Oh Coleridge!"

"Easy Hobbit," the Latina said to the now very excited blonde.

"I'm sorry, Anna Maria," Julia said unapologetically. "It's just that Cole is one step closer! I'm so proud! Isn't this great, Cameron?"

Julia poked Cameron, who was distractedly sitting next to them. His attention, however, was on another table entirely. "What happened?"

The girls turned to where Cameron was looking and observed a table of loud and rowdy soccer players. Tryouts had just ended, and the newly established group seemed to spend all of their time together.

"Will you please go make up with your boyfriend?" Anna Maria asked tiredly. "I'm sure that his balls are just as blue for you as yours are for him."

"He's not my boyfriend!" he said clearly, and then added softly, "and I don't want to talk to him."

Julia looked at the soccer table again, focusing her eyes on Trey; he was now clad in a uniform and seemed to be paying no attention to his former friends.

"It _has_ been a couple of weeks since your fight. Maybe you should talk to him."

"I don't know, Jules…" he replied. "Don't get me wrong. I miss him—shut up Anna Maria—but he didn't even apologize to anybody! I tried to, and he completely blew me off!"

Anna Maria turned to the twins. "Trey kinda screwed _you_ over too. What with telling everybody that you had secrets and junk. Has he said anything to you?"

"No," answered Cole. "The three of us have first period together, and now he sits on the other side of the class."

"Just like in homeroom," Julia noted.

"Oh, by the way," Anna Maria remembered, turning to the biracial boy, "Old Lady Hamilton thinks that you two broke up and I didn't tell her she was wrong."

"Must you keep telling people that I'm gay, you troll?"

"Speaking of gay people," announced Julia, "Cole, you're more than welcome to come over after school today to speak to my daddies."

Cameron added, "Yeah, man. Best of luck."

* * *

"Why is everyone hugging Cole? Maybe he finally came out to his parents? But what do I even care for? It's not like I'm even thei—"

"Hey Chong! What's with you?"

Trey snapped out of his stupor and observed who had just spoken: Hank Swanson, second-time junior and the original favorite to get the sweeper position on the team…until Trey showed up. Now both boys were rivals for the spot, and neither boy was the other's favorite.

"Nothing Swanson," Trey responded plainly, ignoring the fact that the very large boy purposely messed up his name. "Just lost my train of thought for a second."

"Gotta keep your head in the game, man," Patrick Milton, senior captain, told him. "We're about to discuss strategy."

Swanson turned to Trey. "So put away your sushi, get off the Great Wall of China, and come join us back in the States, would you?"

"That's two completely different countries, you ass," grumbled Trey.

"Who gives a damn?"

"Cool it, both of you," said Milton.

As the discussion of strategy began, Trey's eyes wandered to the group that he still considered his friends…even if they didn't feel the same way. One of them, however, actually looked back with a small smile of sympathy. Maybe he wasn't a lost cause with them, after all.

* * *

When Julia, Steph, and Cole entered the Hummel-Anderson home later that day, they were greeted to a song playing loudly on the radio that resonated through the whole house.

**_Blackbird singing in the dead of night,_**

**_Take these broken wings and learn to fly._**

**_All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise._**

**_Blackbird singing in the dead of night,_**

**_Take these sunken eyes and learn to see_**

**_All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free._**

**_Blackbird fly, blackbird fly_**

**_Into the light of the dark black night!_**

Julia smiled. "It's _Blackbird_ by the Beatles!" she exclaimed happily. "That's their song!"

She shushed the twins then quietly led them into the kitchen, where they found Kurt and Blaine slow dancing to the music for no particular reason.

"It's so romantic!" Julia whispered.

"Why would people think that this is wrong?" Steph said to herself in thought.

"I want this."

Both girls turned to Cole. He continued, forwarding to his still-dancing uncles. "That lack of fear. Pride and self-acceptance. True love. That's what I want."

As Julia and Steph smiled at Cole, the song ended, and Kurt and Blaine finally noticed that they were being watched.

"Hey, you guys," Blaine greeted.

"Hi Daddy." She kissed Blaine and then Kurt. "Hi Papa." She looked at them both. "Cole wanted to talk to you about something. Is that okay?"

"Of course!" insisted Kurt.

Steph looked at her brother. "Julia and I will be upsta—"

"Actually," he interrupted, "could you stay?"

"Definitely."

They all sat down at the rectangular table: Kurt and Blaine on one side, the Hudson twins on the other, and Julia at the head.

Knowing that all eyes were on him, Cole started talking. "So…I've realized that I'm…a lot like you two." He looked at his uncles.

"What exactly do you mean?" asked Kurt.

"I'm like you two…in terms of…who I like. You know, sexually."

Now understanding what his nephew meant, Kurt smiled. "Welcome to the club. Your care package will be in the mail within the coming weeks."

They chuckled softly, breaking the tension briefly. Then Cole continued. "I want to tell Mom and Dad, but…I guess I could use some advice."

"Well," Blaine started, "who all knows now? Besides us."

Steph answered, "Besides us, just Cameron and Anna Maria…and Trey." The last name was added darkly and briefly. She was still furious at Trey. They had grown close during the weeks of their shared jealousy, and the fact that he sold her and her brother out without even thinking still rubbed her the wrong way. The worse part was that he had yet to apologize. A thought then entered her head: "Would Trey out Cole to the school?" After all, it wasn't like they were exactly friends at the moment…but the boy wouldn't go there…would he?

"Oh wait!" Cole's voice thankfully interrupted her musings. "I forgot. Aunt Brittany knows, too."

"How does Brittany know?" Blaine asked.

"Brittany S. Pierce is an enigma," his husband responded cryptically.

Blaine grinned smugly. "Well, you should know. You did _date_ her, after all.

Before anyone could question this, Kurt quickly refocused on his nephew. "So what exactly would you like us to do for you, Cole? We'll help in any way that we can."

"I…don't know actually," he replied, a little embarrassed. "I was so busy working up the courage to come here in the first place that I didn't even think of anything to ask."

"Well that's okay," Kurt replied with a smile. "We'll always be here for you. Consider us your guides into gaydom!"

"I have an idea!" piped up Julia. "Daddies, when Cole decides to tell Uncle Finn and Aunt Rachel, maybe you both can be there. For moral support!"

"What do you think, Cole?" questioned Blaine.

After a beat, he answered. "Are you free tonight?"

* * *

A fabric store was literally one of the last places that Trey Chang wanted to be standing in.

Oh well; he was in one anyway.

"But," he figured to himself as he walked down the aisles, "at least no one I know will actually be in here too."

"Oh look, it's the little fighting Asian!"

Crap.

Looking up from the basket that he was holding, Trey observed the entire Lopez-Pierce family walking towards him.

"Hey, guys," the boy greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking out wedding fabrics," answered Brittany.

"Yeah," added Santana. "We're doing a private wedding on Christmas Eve, just a handful of people. And then we're doing a big reception sponsored by the Capital building. That way, we get our privacy _and_ the paparazzi gets coverage from the biggest gay wedding on Ohio."

"And why are _you_ here?" the daughter asked.

"As _one_ of my punishments for the fight, I'm Mom's lackey at Hummel-Chang's. Just picking up some stuff that she ordered."

The girl scoffed. "Sucks for you."

"Ooh, Santana! Snowman tablecloths! With cats! Let's go!"

"I'll catch up, later," Anna Maria said to her moms as Brittany avidly pulled Santana away. The girl's attention went back to the short boy in front of her. "So how are you holding up, Jackie Chan?"

"Really? 'Jackie Chan?'"

"Like Brittany said, you're the 'little fighting Asian.'"

Trey sighed. He was surprised that she was talking to him. But then again, she _did_ give him a sad smile in the cafeteria earlier. "The little fighting Asian's not doing so hot."

"Maybe if he just apologized to his boyfriend?"

"Why should I? He said some crappy things, too! I shouldn't have to cave in!"

"But if you were honest from the beginning, maybe the fight wouldn't have even had to happen…And I'd also like to point out that you didn't deny him being your boyfriend."

"To be honest, I'm really embarrassed about the whole situation," Trey said softly, ignoring the girl's joke. "And even if I did apologize, who's to say that Cameron would forgive me? And Cole and Steph for that matter?"

"Well, I don't know," she answered honestly. "But as someone who's made her own share of mistakes, I feel for you."

"Thanks."

"A.M.! We're leaving!"

The Latina waved to her mothers, acknowledging that she heard them, and then looked to Trey. "You want a ride back to your mom's shop?"

"No thanks. I'm just gonna take a walk."

"Fair enough," she replied. "But if you need a friend, just call me."

The boy nodded his thanks, and Anna Maria left. He smiled as she left, thankful that someone was on his side. Honestly, a large part of him wanted to apologize…but another part of him that was just as large was too stubborn and prideful to make the first move. And as Cameron's best friend (which he still considered himself), the Asian knew that Cameron was feeling the same way.

As he left the store after making his mother's purchases, his mind wandered to the Hudson twins. Why he brought them into the fight, he had no idea. Maybe he hoped that Cameron would feel sympathetic knowing that more people felt the way that he did. Whatever the reason, Trey regretted it and hoped that he hadn't wrecked their family somehow.

Anna Maria seemed to have hope that everything would work out…but would it really? Could he count on their years of friendship to see them through this? Were they that strong?

**_TREY:_**

**_What would you think if I sang out of tune?_**

**_Would you stand up and walk out on me?_**

**_Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,_**

**_And I'll try not to sing out of key._**

**_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,_**

**_Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends._**

**_Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends._**

**_(Do you need anybody?)_**

**_I need somebody to love._**

**_(Could it be anybody?)_**

**_I want somebody to love._**

**_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends._**

**_Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends._**

**_Oh, I get high with a little help from my friends._**

**_Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends,_**

**_With a little help from my friends!_**

Did he really just imagine himself singing that? Complete with pedestrians as back up singers?

"Those damn glee stories are finally starting to take over my mind!" the boy whispered to himself. "But at least it helped…I guess."

His phone went off, indicating a text message. Upon taking it out, he read Anna Maria's message and smiled at what it read:

"Coley's comin out 2 finchel 2nite!"

* * *

Dinner between the Hudsons and the Hummel-Andersons had gone well for the most part. Rachel, Kurt, and Julia exchanged Broadway trivia as usual, and even Steph understood some of the conversation and joined at points.

Cole, on the other hand, was nervous the entire time. Finn could tell that his son was distracted and tried to start up conversations, but he got short answers as a response. Blaine, who had been observing them, decided to give his nephew a new topic of conversation.

"So kids," Blaine said to the group as a whole to make it less obvious, "is there anything new with you guys?"

"Nothing with me," said Julia.

"Yeah," added Steph. "Since the fight at Tappin' Toes, everything's kind of died down now."

Cole had been looking at his plate, playing absentmindedly with the vegetarian lasagna, and Rachel took notice.

"What about you, Cole?" she asked.

"Here we go," Cole said to himself, one hundred percent sure that there were four others in the room thinking the same thing. "There's something that I've been wanting to talk to you about for a long time."

Hearing the serious tone of their son's voice, the Hudson parents sat up straight, and Rachel spoke on their behalf. "Honey, go ahead. You can talk to us about anything, remember?" After learning about the secrets that their children had been keeping, Rachel wanted to make clear that her kids knew this.

"Yeah," Cole sighed. "Well…I'm gay."

Cole had thought about preparing another speech, but decided against it. He was tired of giving the "I'm gay" speech; he just wanted to be out…and now he was…to the two people that mattered most.

After a couple of seconds of nervous silence, Rachel Berry Hudson started beaming, and Cole couldn't help but notice how much Julia was like her.

"Oh Cole!" said Rachel, still smiling. "I'm so proud of you!"

She stood up and hugged him. Cole hugged her back appreciatively. He _was_ glad that his mom was okay with it, but then again, she had two dads and a gay best friend. After breaking the hug, Cole didn't even realize that he was crying a little until seeing Rachel's now slightly soiled shirt. However, there was only one thing on the boy's mind, and with that, he turned to the person that he was most worried about finding out.

"Dad?"

Finn Hudson had been looking straight ahead, not really at a particular person or thing, since his only son made his announcement. He began to whisper to himself, somewhat unaware that anyone was listening.

"Oh God…I can't believe…how didn't I…there's no way I could…"

Finn's train of thought was suddenly broken by the sounds of his now sobbing son. He had heard everything…and so had the entire room.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry."

Cole left the room, crying harder than he ever had before. His sister, on the other hand, was furious.

"Dad! I can't believe you!" she screamed. Without even giving him a second of explanation, she followed after her brother, with Julia close behind.

Now with only adults in the room, Finn spoke. "You guys, this isn't what you thi—"

"You know, Finn," said Kurt, who was also crying now, "I really thought that you had grown up. I thought you were past the homophobia that you had in high school."

"I was never homophobic in high school!"

"Oh yeah? What about the 'faggy lamp,' huh? And it's not like you're sensitive towards anything! Let's not forget how you callously outed Santana!"

"You _know_ how bad I feel about those things, Kurt! It's been over twenty years!"

"Well, here we are now, Finn Hudson! Your son has just done the most difficult thing he's ever had to do in his young life, and you tell him no!"

"I didn't tell him no; if you'd just listen to me—"

"I don't want to hear it!"

And Kurt was gone.

Finn then turned to Blaine. "Blaine, man, you've got to hear me out."

But Blaine shook his head at the tall man. "Finn, I'm just as gay as Kurt _and_ your son are…and as the son of less-than-accepting parents, I'm just as offended."

Blaine left as well, and Finn desperately turned to his wife.

"Rach—"

"I wonder how my fathers would feel about this sudden turn of events."

She left without even looking at him.

* * *

Finn decided to wait a few minutes before going into the living room. After all, they all needed some time to cool off. When he finally did enter, he was heartbroken upon seeing his son sobbing in his mother's arms.

"Cole," he whispered. "Can I _please_ talk to you?"

The boy raised his head and looked a little scared. "I-I don't know, Dad."

"Finn," his wife started, "maybe you've said eno—"

"_Please_, Cole. Just five minutes."

Finn was literally begging now, and tears filled his eyes as he realized just how afraid of him his son was. Rachel turned to the boy still in her arms.

"It's up to you."

The boy looked at his father's pleading face and resigned. "Let's go to the kitchen."

Without another word, Cole went into the kitchen. Before Finn left, however, Rachel grabbed his arm.

"Finn Hudson, if you hurt him anymore, I swear—"

"Rachel," he said softly, "please just trust me."

She resigned and nodded, giving him a kiss on the cheek, and once they made it to the kitchen, Rachel stood near the entrance, but out of sight, just in case she needed to intervene.

* * *

"Son?"

Finn slowly walked over to the table and placed a hand on the chair next to his son. "Can I sit here?" Cole nodded his approval, so Finn took a seat beside him.

"I just want to say," he started, not wanting to waste any time, "that I'm not mad at you for being gay. I'm actually not mad at you at all. You didn't do anything wrong. It's really important to me that you understand that I'm okay with your sexuality. I promise that I'm not upset about it."

"Well then why did you react like that?" his son asked with tears in his voice.

Finn sighed. "Because I had no idea."

Cole looked a little confused, so his father elaborated. "Before Kurt came out, _everyone_ already knew that he was gay…well, except for Mercedes. And when Santana came out, everyone already knew too."

"Yeah, because you told the school," Cole said darkly.

Finn frowned. "You're right…but even if I hadn't had done that rotten thing, everyone would have known because we all knew how much she loved Brittany."

"So what's your point?"

"I _knew_ that Kurt and Santana were gay before they made it official because of how well I knew them, or, at least, by just looking at them. But…I had no idea that my own son was gay."

The man passed a hand through his short hair unhappily as he continued. "I'm not mad at you for being gay," he repeated. "I'm mad at _myself_ for not seeing it coming…I don't even know you, Cole."

Cole was about to interrupt, but Finn kept dogging himself. "The football thing threw me for a big loop already, and now this? What else don't I know about you? What kind of a father am I?"

"A great one," answered Cole. Now they were both crying. "Because you're _this_ upset about not knowing me. It shows how devoted you are."

"See?" joked Finn, "I didn't even know you were this smart! You must get that from your mother." They both smiled, but Finn then spoke again, now seriously. "We're gonna make this work, okay?"

"Make what work?"

"You and me. I know it's sixteen years too late, but I want to get to know you, son."

The boy smiled and started to cry a little harder. "I love you, Dad."

Finn pulled him into a tight hug, unashamedly crying into the boy's shoulder. "I love you, too, Cole…so freaking much."

* * *

Everyone was cautious when Rachel returned to the living room, and even more confused when she had a smile on her face.

"So…what's going on in there?" Blaine asked.

"Finn is not homophobic," she stated with finality. "His issues had nothing to do with sexuality whatsoever. He's just…a father who is afraid from growing apart from his son."

* * *

"So he's really okay with it?"

The next day, during homeroom, Cole was relaying the night's events to Anna Maria and Cameron as Julia and Steph listened in. Trey was noticeably seated in the back of the room.

"Yeah," Cole said, in response to Cameron's question. "We talked for almost an hour, about nothing really. And then we went back in the living room, and all of the adults apologized for letting their emotions get out of hand."

"See how simple it is to apologize?" Anna Maria spoke in the direction of the biracial boy. "Klaine and Finchel did it and now it's not even an issue."

"Shut up, you manatee!" yelled Cameron. The Latina noted that he seemed just as stubborn as Trey, but decided to not press it any further. Instead, she turned to her best friend.

"Cole, I'm really happy for you," she told him.

"Thanks," he smiled back. "To be honest, I don't think I've ever felt more happy. Sure, there'll still be people out there against me, but…everyone that I care about knows and accepts me, and that's all I could ever want."

From the back of the room, Trey gave a small smile. He was proud that Cole came out to his parents, but he wished that he could swallow his pride long enough to congratulate the boy himself. In the meantime, however, he merely distracted himself with his upcoming soccer game without a second thought.

* * *

Yay, Chapter 6! I've been looking forward to this one, as it was one of my first ideas with these characters. Initially, I was going to put Cameron and Trey in a gay relationship, but then I thought: What if Finn had a gay son? And thus, this plot was born!

And if you get a chance, check out my short one-shot entitled "One Final Apology."

I think I'm going to start doing some mini-chapters, or "interludes." There is just so much that I want to do with these characters that I can't fit into the actual story. No promises on when though. But let me know if there's something you'd like to see!

FEATURED SONGS:

"Blackbird" by The Beatles

"With a Little Help From My Friends" by The Beatles

**In the Next Chapter: One month later, Thanksgiving presents opportunities for family bonding time and the developments of relationships.**


	7. We Are Family

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: If I owned Glee, I could shave my head and wear snazzy hats...and although I could totally pull that off, alas, Glee does not belong to me.

**A/N: I'm on a writing high right now! So to celebrate, here's Chapter 7 of DynamiX!**

Chapter 7 – We Are Family

At a local outdoor bistro, Tina Chang was enjoying lunch with Rachel Berry Hudson.

"…and now that we're finished with this play," said Rachel, continuing a story, "I'm free from all projects until the new year!"

"That's great, Rachel," Tina responded. "How long has it been since you've had such a long break?"

"Too long," the woman sighed. "Don't get me wrong. I love my career, but even _I_ need a break every now and then…and it couldn't have come at such a perfect time! I've really been trying to reconnect with Stefania and Coleridge ever since they started being more honest with us."

"How's that going, by the way?" Tina asked curiously.

"Well, ever since Cole came out last month, he and Finn have actually grown a lot closer. Apparently, they've both loved that silly Call of Duty game for years and had no idea until last week! And they talk all of the time now. I've never seen Coleridge so happy."

"And Steph?"

"Well, I was a little worried when she decided to stay in the Vocal DynamiX even though she only chose to join because of me. But she's actually starting to like singing and dancing. She even comes to me for advice, and thanks to her, my musical tastes have expanded!"

"That's great," replied Tina. Her tone, however, sounded a little sad.

Catching on, Rachel took the subject off of her. "So what about you guys and Trey?"

"All he really focuses on is soccer now," the Asian woman replied. "And it's not that it's a problem that he has interests that he is actually interested in, but…that's literally _all_ that he does. He never goes anywhere unless we make him. He's always in his room, and he never hangs out with anyone!"

Rachel was silent, seemingly in thought, as Tina continued. "I know that Trey and the others have been pretty strained ever since his fight with Cameron, but he doesn't even do anything social with his soccer teammates other than practices! I'm really worried about him, actually."

Tina's lunch companion smiled suddenly. "I think I've got the perfect solution to your family troubles, Tina!"

* * *

"So now the Chang family is coming with us on our Thanksgiving vacation." The twins had just finished the story to Anna Maria, Julia, and Cameron at the lunch table the next day. They would have filled their friends in during homeroom, but as Trey shared the class with them as well, they opted out of the gossip at the risk of his overhearing them.

"So what exactly will you be doing out in the middle of nowhere?" Anna Maria asked.

"It's not the middle of nowhere, A.M.," contested Steph. "It's this really nice four-bedroom cabin that our granddads bought a few years ago. It's got this amazing crystal blue lake nearby, and it's just a ten-minute walk away from this small town with all kinds of little shops. It's so rustic and quaint!"

The Latina turned to Julia. "Did your cousin take some of your happy pills this morning?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steph asked, very offended.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" countered Julia, looking at Steph.

"Steph, that description did have a bit of a Rachel Berry flair to it," argued Cameron.

The Hudson girl couldn't help but smile a little. "Guess she's starting to rub off on me."

"So things are better with you all?" asked Julia.

"Yeah," Cole answered. "Ever since I came out, we've all started talking to each other more and hanging out. Honestly, I don't think we've all been this happy for a while."

"Maybe that's why your parents want to invite the Changs along."

Cameron and the Hudsons scoffed at Anna Maria. They all knew that she had started talking to Trey again, and while they didn't get on her case about it, her friends weren't exactly thrilled either…especially when she tried to defend him.

"Hear her out you guys," Julia protested, tired of the fighting.

"Thanks, Hobbit." Anna Maria then returned to her point. "I overheard my mom Brittany talking to Mike at the studio the other day. Apparently, Trey's started acting pretty weird. Not talking to anybody, angry at the world. His parents want to help, but Trey won't let them. Your parents probably figure that they need this week to reconnect."

"After all," added Julia to her cousins, "it isn't like _you_ were exactly honest with your parents all of the time. Aunt Rachel probably sees her own plight with you in Tina and Trey, and she wants to use the trip as a grand bonding experience! She is so wise!"

Anna Maria pointed to Julia positively. "Other than the 'Rachel's the queen bitch' part, that's basically my point."

"I know that Trey isn't your favorite person right now," the blonde resumed, "but could you both _please_ swallow your pride for one week for the sake of a family in trouble?"

The twins looked at each other skeptically, then back at Julia.

"Dang, Jules. It's not like he's about to go out and kill people," Steph claimed.

"Yeah, what's with the dramatics?" added her brother.

Julia sighed. "Seriously! How long have you people known me?"

Cameron laughed and Julia gave him a playful glare that did not go unnoticed.

"I guess," spoke up Steph, bringing them all back to the topic, "we can be good for a week. You guys are right; and this could actually be good for everyone."

"But if you want to push Trey in the lake with an anchor tied to his leg, there'll be no complaints from this corner."

"Cameron Evans, you stop that!" Julia screamed at the boy angrily. "That is still your best friend," she said a little softer, "and you need to remember that!"

The biracial boy looked sheepishly back at her. "Okay," he softly replied.

Anna Maria made a sound with her mouth that sounded like a whip while flinging her arm to make the simulation. The twins laughed, while their cousin was utterly confused.

"What's that mean?"

"Don't worry about it," Cameron quickly replied while glaring at the smirking Latina.

* * *

At the end of the last day of school before the Thanksgiving holidays, Trey Chang found himself on his way to the Vocal DynamiX practice room of all places. He glanced at the note he was holding as he walked.

"MICHAEL CHANG, III, please report to the Vocal DynamiX rehearsal hall immediately following all of your classes. –Beth Corcoran, Vocal DynamiX Director."

The Asian was so busy looking at the letter that he didn't notice when he accidentally ran into someone.

"Hey watch it, dumbass!" the familiar low voice growled.

Trey slowly took his eyes off of the note, hoping that the person that he was about to see wasn't who he thought it would be. No such luck. The bulking, bumbling Hank Swanson—also known as Trey's rival on the soccer team—stood before the young sophomore with intimidation.

"Look Swanson," Trey said quickly, yet confidently, "I don't want any trouble…just didn't see where I was going."

"Well maybe if you opened your damn eyes a little more, Chung," the bully answered, once again purposely distorting Trey's last name. "Or can _you_ even do that?"

Trey was honestly unsure if that comment was meant to be racist. But he decided to shrug it off as jealousy. After all, the only reason that Swanson didn't like Trey was because he was standing in the way of the bully's "deserved" position on the soccer team…right?

As the Asian brushed past his adversary, the large boy spoke loudly to his back. "Just go back to where you came from, man!"

He meant back to Vocal DynamiX instead of soccer…right?

* * *

"Ms. Corcoran, you wanted to see me?"

Beth looked up from her desk and saw the nervous looking boy at her door.

"Yes Cameron, please come in."

As Cameron slowly took a seat, he spoke quickly and nervously. "I-I know that I already did so, but I just wanted to apologize again—"

"Cameron, please—"

"My behavior was deplorable, unacceptable, distasteful, and, in no way, a proper reflection of the Vocal DynamiX—"

"Cameron," Beth interrupted once more, "you already apologized, remember? You stood before the group the Monday after the incident with that written letter?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, but I never apologized to you personally."

Cameron noted a difference in Beth's features. Gone was the nervous and timid woman he had met in August. Instead, a leader sat in front of him. While her polite charm was still prominent, it was joined by a strong will and determination that may or may not have been there all along. And honestly, the woman intimidated Cameron just a little bit.

Before Beth could give a response, there was a small knock on the door and Trey's head poked through.

"Ms. Corcoran?"

"Come on in, Trey."

He did so, and both boys focused their eyes on Beth Corcoran and only on Beth Corcoran.

"Well…I'll get right to the point as this is clearly awkward for everyone in the room."

Her attempt to break the tension apparently went unnoticed as no one laughed.

"In order to be eligible for competition," Beth continued, "a show choir must have a minimum of twelve members. When I suspended the two of you, that brought our number down to ten, and frankly, we need you both in the group. Therefore, your suspensions have been lifted. You've got a lot of catching up to do, so I want you to meet me first thing after the break to set up a schedule."

"Sure, Ms. C. Can I go?" Trey said almost immediately after Beth stopped talking. He was still a little shaken from his confrontation with Swanson and seemed so distracted that it left Cameron wondering if Trey had even acknowledged what the teacher said.

Beth frowned at his rudeness—or perhaps discomfort—and nodded; the Asian bolted out before anyone could even think to stop him.

"I figured that things would be awkward," Beth began, "but it seemed like there was something troubling him."

"There was," agreed Cameron. "I've known him since we were in diapers, and I know when something's off with him…" He trailed off, wanting to talk to his friend more than anything else. But that damn pride…

"I _do_ hope that you two can work things out."

Cameron stood up, ready to change the subject. "Thanks again for letting me back on, Ms. C. I mean, I know you _had_ to for competition purposes, but I still appreciate it."

"No problem, Cameron. Have a Happy Thanksgiving."

* * *

Sam Evans was on top of the world. He had a beautiful wife, two (for the most part) well-behaved children, and an exciting career as a science fiction movie screenwriter, his latest project being one of the sequels to his favorite series, _Avatar_. And his life had just gotten a little bit better.

That afternoon, the blond man ran into the kitchen frantically and found his son, his thirteen-year-old daughter Lucy, and their friends Julia and Anna Maria playing Monopoly.

"Oh, hey Dad," said Cameron.

"Hi Daddy," echoed Lucy.

"Good day, Uncle Sam," Julia greeted.

"Heh, heh. 'Uncle Sam.'"

Cameron groaned at the Latina. "Really? Every time?"

"It's funny! Don't have a cow, Trouty!"

While Cameron covered his mouth self-consciously, his father, surprisingly, seemed too distracted to care. "Cam, where's your mom?"

"Upstairs," he answered confusedly.

"Why didn't you get all twitchy and embarrassed when A.M. said 'Trouty,' Daddy?" his daughter asked.

"Because not even Satan's evil little minion can get me down today!" He turned to the stairs and shouted his wife's name while the others looked even more perplexed.

Mercedes made her way down the stairs to find her husband literally jumping up and down in glee.

"Sammy, what's going on?" she asked with a smile.

"Okay, okay, so check this out," he said at top speed. "So, remember how I did some of the _Avatar_ movies with the AH-_MAZING_ James Cameron?"

"Wait a minute!" Julia suddenly realized, turning to Sam's son. "Cameron James Evans?"

Anna Maria laughed. "Wow, obsessed much."

As Cameron frowned, Mercedes clarified for the blonde girl. "His dad's a big fan if you couldn't tell."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Sam continued to spit out excitedly. "Well, he's in town on a conference and he called me in to see him. And he was like, 'Sam, I want to bring _Avatar_ to the small screen for a younger audience.' And then I was all, 'That's great, Mr. Cameron! Kids'll love that!' And then he was all, 'I know, and that's why I want _you_ to be the frontrunner for the show!'"

"So, what does this mean, exactly?" asked Mercedes, admittedly having difficulty keeping up with her husband's jubilation.

"_Avatar_ is gonna be the newest cartoon series for kids, and _the_ James Cameron wants me to be the head of production!"

"Honey, that's great!" his wife screamed, hugging him.

"They're calling it _Pandora_, cause that's where the Na'vi live, you know? Of course you know; I've made you watch it literally hundreds of times! But it's gonna be really awesome, _and_ since I always do those impressions, Mr. Cameron even wants me to voice one of the characters!"

"Dad, that's incredible!" Cameron stated at the same time that Lucy exclaimed, "Way to go, Daddy!"

Mercedes gave him a warm grin. "Sam, I am so proud of you."

Sam smirked back flirtatiously. "How proud are you, baby?"

The woman moved closer to him. "Oh, I'll show you, White Chocolate."

"Sexy Mama!"

"GUYS!"

Mr. and Mrs. Evans stopped their groping session long enough to pretend to look embarrassed.

"Seriously," Cameron continued, "if you guys don't stop trying to have sex in front of my friends, they won't want to come back!"

"It's okay," Anna Maria protested. "My Mami said that your dad's nipples are crooked; I've always kinda wanted to see if they're proportional to his mouth."

As Sam covered his chest with one hand and his mouth with the other, Mercedes soothed him. "I love your crooked nipples _and_ your trouty mouth, baby. And I'll show you how much, too."

"Could you _please_ not show him here?" their son begged, his head in his hands.

Mercedes put her hands on her hips. "Boy, this is my house. I can have sex in every room in this house if I wanted to."

"And we have, by the way."

All four kids immediately stepped away from the kitchen table.

Sam sighed dramatically. "Fine! Your mother and I will just go have sex somewhere else, GOD!"

The girls laughed as the Evans parents left. Cameron, meanwhile, went to get some disinfectant spray.

"Oh, I love coming over here, Cameron!" Julia exclaimed happily. "Your parents are the perfect example of how opposites attract: _The Nerd and the Diva_. It'd make an excellent play!"

Cameron, busy ridding the table of his parents' sexual remnants, paused to grin. "Sure, Jules…whatever you say."

"I'm serious!" she elaborated.

Lucy Evans and the Latina smirked at each other, mentally preparing themselves for Cameron's hypnosis caused by another one of the blonde's speeches.

"Love goes beyond all boundaries and devices. It brings people together and establishes a remarkably strong sense of communication and trust that is humanly inconceivable. Why, I believe that Dr. Seuss had a remarkable quote about love."

"…'I do not like green eggs and ham?'"

"No silly Anna Maria!" she replied with a laugh. "He said, and I quote, 'You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep, because reality is finally better than your dreams.'"

Cameron breathed softly at her, now finished with the table. "That's beautiful. You're pretty awesome, you know that?"

"'You're pretty awesome, you know that?'" both Anna Maria and Lucy mocked him before exploding into laughter.

Julia, meanwhile, went to a now blushing Cameron. "Thank you, Cameron. That is very sweet." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before excusing herself to the restroom."

Lucy turned to her favorite pseudo-cousin and asked, "Now?"

"Now."

The girl turned back to her brother. "Cam and Julia sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

* * *

"First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes baby in a baby carriage!"

"Oh, will you shut up! Seriously, you're a thirteen-year-old _guy_. Grow up!"

"That's the pot calling the kettle black. Besides, it's not like Steph would ever date you anyway."

"And who said I wanted to date _her_, you little turd?"

Tina turned from the passenger seat to glare at her sons. "Both of you cut it out!"

Tyler Chang smiled deviously. "Hey Mom, why are we even going to this thing with the Hudsons? Everybody hates Trey's guts!"

"Tyler, didn't you want to finish that book before we got to the cabin?" Mike asked without taking his eyes off the road.

"Oh yeah!" And with that, the young boy devoted his attention to his copy of _Great Expectations_.

"Don't listen to your brother, son," Tina reassured her oldest. "This trip will be fun for all of us."

Trey rolled his eyes, more at the situation than at his own mother. "Sure…"

Tina Chang sighed as she turned back around. She took her phone out and sent a quick text.

* * *

"Rach, it's Tina."

"Can you check it for me? I've got to make sure I'm going the right way. And I'd rather not get into an accident that could be avoided by not texting while driving." Her mind flashed to her good friend, Quinn, excited for the chance to see her at Santana and Brittany's upcoming wedding.

"Okay." Finn Hudson grabbed his wife's phone from the empty cup holder and attempted to read their friend's message. "Okay, I'm not too good with text speak, but I _think_ Tina's freaking out about Trey. Wonders if you're sure this will work."

Rachel smiled sympathetically. "Respond with 'Absolutely.' Oh, and make sure that you use the gold star from my Emoji keyboard."

The woman may as well have been speaking German. "What?"

"I got it, Dad," said Steph, snatching the phone away from her technologically illiterate father.

"Mom, _are_ you sure about this?" Cole asked cautiously.

"Yes, Coleridge," Rachel assuredly responded. "The Changs need a refreshing vacation to rejuvenate their family. Maybe through this trip, they can get through to poor Trey."

"And," added Finn, "maybe you two can work things out with him."

"We're only doing this for Uncle Mike and Aunt Tina's sakes," Cole made clear.

"Yeah," his sister added. "Unless he apologizes first, we have nothing to say to him."

* * *

And for days, that was exactly how it went: Though the rest of the group enjoyed the cabin and its nearby activities, Trey was either secluded in his room or ignoring the others while sardonically reading various FML's and relating to them.

On the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving, however, he had somehow convinced himself to take a walk. And as the boy lazily strolled around the large lake, he began to think out loud about the past few days.

"So what if I don't want to talk to them? I don't need any friends. I'm perfectly fine on my own…besides, who's to say that they'd even accept my apology—but it's not like I _want_ to apologize! I didn't do anything…well, nothing fatal anyway…plus, it's not like _Cameron_ is any better than me, and the twins have no problem with him! But then again…I guess I didn't have to drag them into my thing with Cam…Tyler and Cam are right; I _do_ need to grow up…they wouldn't forgive me, though…and it's not like I need them…it's not like they'd care…"

**_TREY:_**

**_We'll do it all…Everything…On our own._**

**_We don't need…Anything…Or anyone._**

**_If I lay here,_**

**_If I just lay here,_**

**_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_**

**_I don't quite know…How to say…How I feel._**

**_Those two words…Are said too much…They're not enough._**

**_If I lay here,_**

**_If I just lay here,_**

**_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_**

**_Forget what we're told_**

**_Before we get too old._**

**_Show me a garden that's bursting into life._**

Suddenly, there was a rustling from behind Trey. He jumped nervously to find Cole and Steph standing behind him, and by the looks on their faces, the short boy could tell that the twins had not only heard him singing, but they also heard every word that he said before the music in his head began. There was silence for a minute, and then Steph spoke with a smile.

"You realize that you just sang your feelings, right? That makes you a loser like us."

She and Cole laughed softly, and Trey put on a smile. He then dropped it and took a nervous breath.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Finn, Mike and Tina were playing cards on the front porch of the cabin while Rachel had taken Tyler into the town to get a few last minute Thanksgiving dressings. The tall man looked out to the lake and noticed something.

"Hey, check that out!" Finn happily pointed to the lake at their children. "I think they're making up!"

Tina smiled. "Looks like Rachel was right. Maybe this trip was what we needed after all."

"You could argue that music tore them apart," Mike began, "but in the end, music brought them back together."

"Speaking of music," said Finn, "I heard through the grapevine that Trey and Cameron were back on Vocal DynamiX. That teacher must be pretty forgiving."

"I think she just needed twelve to compete," Tina clarified. "What's her name again?"

"The twins always call her Ms. C.," responded Finn.

Tina turned to Mike. "You work with her. It's Beth something, right?"

Mike paled.

"Dude, you alright?" Finn questioned.

"Okay, you two have to promise not to freak out," said Mike.

"About what?" Tina asked. "She's not a felon, is she?"

"No…she's Beth _Corcoran_."

There was a beat of silence, with the exception of Tina's gasp of realization.

"That's funny," Finn spoke up suddenly. "Rachel's birth mom's last name is Corcoran." He took a sip of his beer without giving it a second thought as the Changs looked at him in disbelief.

* * *

"Refill, Senator?"

"Yeah sure. And I'm gonna need more breadsticks. I gots to get my munch on."

"But Santana, we're in public."

"Oh God."

The waiter refilled Santana's iced tea before leaving with a face of suppressed arousal. Anna Maria, meanwhile, turned to her mothers as they sat at a small table in the large reception hall of the Capitol building.

"Mami, explain it to me one more time."

Santana sighed. "Fine. My political advisors thought that I should publicize some sort of engagement party and suggested that I do it on Thanksgiving Day while inviting all of the city's families for a cheap, yet delicious meal. Apparently, this way I can stir up support or some crap like that."

"But I thought you hated big showy things like this," her daughter protested.

"I only agreed to it because for every plate sold here, another free plate is given to a person in need at one of the local soup kitchens."

"Aww, you _do_ have a heart! Looks like I owe Julia five bucks."

"Speaking of Baby Rachel," said Brittany, "when did she start dating Baby Trouty?"

The blonde pointed to the long punch table where, among others, Cameron and Julia stood laughing at…well, probably nothing too important by Anna Maria's standards.

"They're not dating," the girl replied, "but the general consensus is that they should. Their 'sweetness' is putting me into a diabetic shock. Seriously, they need to hurry it up; it's getting old fast."

The waiter returned with a basket of breadsticks. "Here you are, Senator," the young man said with a flirtatious grin. "And if you need anything else to munch on—"

"Are you hitting on my girl?" asked Brittany defensively.

"Yeah, you perv! These are my moms!"

Santana merely grinned. "Sorry, Junior. I'm a one-woman woman."

The waiter frowned embarrassedly and left, and Anna Maria took notice of Brittany's sudden interest in holding Santana's hands. Suddenly, she gasped and turned to Cameron and Julia with a mischievous look.

"What are you up to, kid?" asked Santana, catching on immediately.

"When the prepubescent waiter boy tried to hit on you, Mom got really defensive. All it took was a little push, and she was all over you! If those two," she forwarded to her friends, "just get a little push, then they can hurry up and date, and I won't have to watch them make googly-eyes anymore."

"So what? You're gonna hit on Cameron to make Julia jealous?"

Anna Maria literally spit out her breadstick and coughed for several seconds before responding. "GOD no!" she almost screamed.

"But wait…" pointed out Brittany. "I thought that you two dated befo—"

"Mom, that was such a long time ago that it is by no means worth mentioning."

"It was last year," Santana said, agreeing with her fiancée.

"It was for less than a week."

"Still happened."

The girl glared and then returned her eyes to the still flirting teens. "I'm not gonna hit on Trouty. When I said that they needed a push, I wasn't talking about from me…"

Santana groaned. "Just promise me that you won't do anything illegal. The more times I have to bail you out, the worse it looks on me!"

"Sorry, Mami. No promises."

The Latina girl stood up with a determined grin and stood up. Instead of walking over to Julia and Cameron, however, she strolled over to their parents, all of whom were seated at a nearby table.

"Kurtcedes, you got a minute?'

Mercedes and Kurt stopped their conversation to look at the girl.

"Sure, Satan's Spawn. What's up?" asked Kurt warmly.

"I'm gonna be straight with you. _Your_ son," she pointed to Mercedes, "and _your_ daughter," she pointed to Kurt, "have been flirting with each other since the year started, and they have no freaking idea."

"And as Cam's ex-girlfriend, you're jealous?" asked Sam, pausing his game of slap hands with Lucy.

"That never happened," she replied darkly.

"So what exactly are Kurt and Mercedes supposed to do about it?" Blaine questioned. "It's not like they're gonna interfere with—"

Mercedes and Kurt, who both had stopped listening after the word "flirting", suddenly squealed happily.

"Our kids are gonna date! This is so exciting!" Kurt exclaimed.

"I knew it was only a matter of time!" agreed Mercedes in equal excitement.

"Blaine!" Kurt turned to his husband. "Our grandchildren will be one-fourth black! I mean, seriously, how many people can say that?"

"I don't think you two should get any ideas here," Sam warned.

"Yeah," Blaine encouraged. "Maybe you two should just stay out of this. Let the kids handle it on their own."

"Shut up, white boy," Mercedes barked.

"Uncle Blaine," Anna Maria said with sickening sweetness, "_true love_ is on the line. Are you really just gonna stand by and do nothing?"

"True love!" Mercedes and Kurt were practically jumping in their seats.

Sam pulled the Latina over to him and whispered out of his wife's earshot. "What's your angle, kid? Since when do you care about the well-being of others?"

"The 'will-they, won't-they' thing is getting kind of annoying. I'm just trying to speed up the inevitable," she replied plainly.

"Daddy, why can't they date?" asked Lucy, speaking for the first time.

"It's not that they shouldn't, sweetheart," he responded. "But it's not right for your mother and Uncle Kurt to interfere."

"Then someone had better stop them."

Sam, Lucy, and Anna Maria looked up to find Kurt and Mercedes nowhere to be found and Blaine looking very disheveled and roughed up. Even his usually gelled hair was coming loose.

"What the hell happened to you?" Sam asked.

"Our spouses decided to 'encourage' the kids," he responded. "I tried to stand in the way, and Mercedes literally picked me up and threw me off to the side."

Sam grinned. "Note to self: remind her to do that to me later."

"Daddy!"

"Sorry."

* * *

"What do you think's going on over there?"

Julia looked to where Cameron was pointing. Their parents—well, Mercedes and Kurt, at least—were squealing.

"Maybe your mother got another Grammy nomination?" suggested Julia.

Cam shook his head. "She hasn't done a song professionally in years, remember? She stepped out of the limelight to open the nightclub."

"That's right…well, whatever the reason, it looks like Anna Maria is responsible."

Cameron shrugged, and then Julia spoke again. "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Shoot."

"What…_did_ you see in her?"

The boy took a sip of his drink, pretending he didn't hear her. "Excuse me?" he asked when done.

"You know what I mean," she protested. "When you two dated."

"That's didn't happen."

"Cameron!"

"Didn't happen."

"I'm serious!" Julia was now smiling.

He smiled back. "Nu-uh." The boy stuck his tongue out at her.

"Come on, Cam!" She put out her lip and whimpered, begging for his answer.

"You know I can't resist that…"

"Then tell me: what did you see in Anna Maria during the week of your romantic involvements?"

He thought for a minute before answering. "I don't know…she's a girl…I wanted a girlfriend…she was available, I guess…it just happened…and then, thankfully, it was over."

"So you didn't like her? She was just a girl, and it could have been anyone?"

"That's about right."

Julia bit her lip. They both knew what she wanted to ask. Cameron decided to save her dignity of actually asking the question.

"The reason I didn't date _you_ was because…I never thought _you'd_ be interested in _me_. It wasn't that I didn't like you or anything…" He started talking a little softer now. "You're just too good for me."

Julia had a confused frown for a second, and then it suddenly turned angry. "That's bull, Cameron!"

"Jules!" He had never heard the girl speak so harshly.

"Why are you so insecure about yourself? Either you think you're not good enough to date me, or you're worried about what others will think if you join glee. I mean, you're so insecure that you won't even apologize to your best friend for the world's stupidest fight! You know, Cam, you really need to just man up and grow a pair!"

Before Cameron could respond, his mother and Kurt appeared, as if out of nowhere. They immediately noticed the awkward atmosphere.

"Did we interrupt something?" Mercedes asked in a tone that was clear that she was hoping that there was something to interrupt.

"Actually, yeah, Mom. But I'll do it anyway." He walked over to Julia, who had turned away from him slightly. The boy took her hand and dramatically dropped to one knee.

"Oh God, is he proposing?" Kurt stage-whispered with a sudden sense of worry. "It's Finchel all over again!"

"Julia Hummel-Anderson…would you do me the honor…of allowing me to take you on a first date?"

"Cameron, what are you doing?" Julia asked. Her voice sounded annoyed, and yet the girl was beaming.

"I'm growing a pair."

* * *

And there's the Thanksgiving episode! I apologize; it's really not all that great. As usual, the writing took me to places that I didn't expect, and I wasn't too satisfied with where I went with this. But the next chapter will tie up some of the loose ends seen here. Review or PM your thoughts on what you found weird...or even good. Hopefully, I can rectify some issues in future chapters.

On another note, I've just finished writing Chapter 9, and I'm starting 10 right now. Let's just say that my story is starting to get just a little bit darker. In fact, be prepared for a few M-ish scenes in the future. I'll be as tame as possible, but just wanted to give you guys a heads up! Hope you've been enjoying the story so far, because I've been enjoying writing it. I was in a temporary writing slump, but now I'm back and better than ever! (at least...I hope so) Thanks for reading!

FEATURED SONG:

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

**In the Next Chapter: Trey and Cameron must finally deal with their own vices, along with a new mutual enemy who takes things too far. Meanwhile, the girls do some investigating after overhearing a conversation.**


	8. Bein' Green

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I own Glee. (*knock* COPS: You're under arrest!) Actually, I take that back; Glee's not mine at all. (COPS: Alrighty then.)

**A/N: I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for a while. But just a warning, there's some pretty strong language that may cause a little discomfort. If I could give this chapter a T-plus rating, I would. But anyway, please enjoy Chapter 8!**

Chapter 8 – Bein' Green

On the Sunday evening after the Thanksgiving holiday, Trey Chang was in his room while at his computer desk and on the phone.

"No way…Yeah, I'm on Facebook now…it's just…wow…okay, wait, my dad's outside and I think he wants to talk. I'll call you later, Steph."

Trey hung up his cell phone and turned to his father.

"What's up, Dad?"

"Nothing much," Mike Chang responded. "Just wanted to check in. Glad to hear that you're talking to Steph again."

His son smiled. "And Cole too. And Anna Maria."

Mike walked in, glancing at the computer screen and smiled at what he saw.

"_**Cameron Evans**__ is 'in a relationship' with __**Julia Hummel-Anderson**_. When did that happen?"

"That's what I was talking to Steph about," the boy replied. "Apparently, he asked her out over Thanksgiving. Their first date was last night, and I guess it went _really_ well."

"Well enough to become an official couple after the first date?"

"It's been a long time coming." Trey made this statement with a bit of sadness. A still standing Mike put his arm around his son.

"Let me guess. You want to get the details about your best friend's new girlfriend from your best friend." The boy nodded. "Then call him."

"Dad, can we please change the subject?"

The father sighed disappointedly. "Fine…for now. So how's the soccer team going?"

"It's been alright," he replied casually. "The first game of the season is coming up soon, and I think the coach is considering actually letting me play."

"That's impressive for a new player," Mike praised.

"Yeah, so long as Swanson stays out of my way," Trey grumbled.

"Swanson?"

"Hank Swanson," Trey clarified. "He's my competition for the spot on the team that I want. He's wanted it for a while, and now he's jealous 'cause I'm better than him."

Mike looked cautious. "This guy hasn't been bothering you about it, has he?"

The boy paled. Truthfully, Swanson had been saying some crude things to Trey. A couple of his comments even seemed to be a little racially motivated. But it wasn't too serious…after all, in this day and age, were people even racist like that? Trey shrugged off these thoughts and looked at his dad, realizing that he had been quiet for too long.

"No Dad, everything's fine."

"It took you a while to come up with that, buddy…you sure everything's okay?"

"It's nothing I can't handle."

Mike frowned. "Well, if it _does_ become something that you can't handle, let me know, okay? The last thing we need is you in another fight."

Trey nodded. "You got it, Dad."

* * *

A couple of days later, another Vocal DynamiX practice had just ended. As most of the students, along with choreographers Mike and Brittany, were socializing in the main rehearsal room, Beth Corcoran was in her small office with Cameron and Trey.

"Now because you two missed a little over a month of practices, I've talked to Mike and Brittany and they've adjusted the choreography so that you two don't have to do much," the instructor said purposefully. "However, I'll need each of you to be here after school every day to prepare for the Sectionals competition on the second Saturday of December."

"Second Saturday of December?" Trey repeated.

"Yes, Trey. Is there a problem?"

"Yeah," the Asian replied. "My first soccer game is on the same day; I can't miss it!"

"Well, you can't miss this, either!" Cameron told him. It was the first time one of them had spoken to the other in over a month. "You made a commitment!"

Trey's subdued anger at the boy was suddenly rushing back instantly. "And once again, you're trying to stuff your trouty mouth into other people's business."

"And once again, _you_ are acting like a seven year old."

"Look here, you selfish dumba—"

"BOYS!"

Trey and Cameron jumped at Beth's booming voice. Ever since their first fight at Tappin' Toes, the woman had gotten scary.

Mike knocked on the door and poked his head in. "Beth, is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure yet, Mike."

"Dad," said Trey, "my first soccer game is on the same day as Sectionals. I can't miss my first game!"

"Without you, we don't even have enough members to compete!" Cameron yelled.

"That's not my problem. Besides, we all know that I'm not a singer, and I'm certainly not a dancer, either. _You_ made that perfectly clear."

"Well, you never should have challenged me in the first place!"

"I don't want to hear this!" Trey screamed. "Look, I'm sorry that you won't be able to compete, but it's not like you could have won with me on the team anyway. I want to compete with people that could actually use me. Consider me officially out of Vocal Dynamix!"

And with that, the boy pushed past his father and the many people who overheard the argument on his way out of the room.

* * *

Later that day, in the Lopez-Pierce home, the girls were lounging in Anna Maria's bedroom.

"So how's your boyfriend dealing with the Chang situation?" Anna Maria asked Julia.

At the word "boyfriend," Julia completely zoned out with an uncharacteristically dopey grin.

Steph rolled her eyes. "Jules!"

"Oh! Sorry." The blonde looked highly embarrassed.

"Great," the Latina deadpanned. "Her mind has been taken over by her stupid boyfriend."

"Ignore her, Julia," Steph reassured. "She's just jealous because you're dating her ex-boyfriend."

"That never happened, you bitch."

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Julia. "Are you really upset, A.M.? That's the last thing I'd want to do!"

"Relax, Hobbit. I could care less. Honest." She gave the girl a warm smile and Julia was calmed.

"So, how _is_ Cameron doing about the Trey thing?" asked Steph, bringing up Anna Maria's earlier point.

"He's really upset," Julia said sadly. "Which is so sad. On our date, he kept talking about how badly he felt about his fight; I think he was getting close to apologizing. But now…he's so hurt and furious."

"You know, Trey never wanted to do DynamiX in the first place," Steph said, remembering how the two of them had joined together for similar reasons. "At least now he's come to terms with it."

"But why did he have to come to terms with it right before Sectionals?" asked Anna Maria. "I mean, I know he's got his own stuff going on, but damn, that's just bad timing!"

Steph looked sad. "I was actually kinda looking forward to Sectionals. I guess there's always next year."

Suddenly, her cousin stood up. "Now wait a minute! All we need is one more member, right? Let's go find someone!"

"And let's say we randomly find someone who'd be interested," the Latina mused. "How in the hell are we supposed to get them trained enough for competition? It's in less than two weeks!"

"With Uncle Mike and your mom, we'll be fine! I'm sure they can stage it efficiently," said a still confident Julia. "In fact, let's go ask Brittany now."

Steph and Anna Maria shrugged and followed Julia out of the room. As they reached the kitchen, however, they stopped when they heard some familiar voices.

"Beth Corcoran?"

"Holy crap."

"No freaking way."

Anna Maria, who now was leading the girls, shushed them as they listened out of the sight of their parents. Currently, Brittany and Santana were Skyping with Sam and Mercedes on one window and Kurt and Blaine on another.

"Britt, are you sure it's _that_ Beth?" asked Kurt.

"Yes, you silly unicorn," Brittany assured her. "You can ask Mike if you don't believe me."

Steph turned to the girls. "What about Ms. C.?" The others had no response.

"But what is she doing in Cincinnati?" asked Sam.

"Teaching a glee club, you dumbass."

"Cool it, Santana," warned Mercedes.

"Well, has anyone told Rachel?" Blaine asked.

Mercedes gasped. "Oh my God! And what about Puck and Quinn!"

"Mike said that he told the girl Asian and Frankenteen over Thanksgiving," Santana informed them. "Berry's still out of the loop, and I don't know about Quinn and the 'Puckasaurus.'"

From their hiding spot, Steph spoke. "So my mom, Aunt Quinn, Uncle Puck, and Beth Corcoran all have some kind of past?"

"I suppose so," Julia said with confusion.

"Wait a minute," Kurt said from the computer screen. "Quinn and Puck will be here for the wedding. Did you invite Beth?"

"Yeah," Santana responded. "Brittany works with her through the kids' glee club, so we decided to invite her to the reception."

"What the hell is going on?" Anna Maria asked her friends, all still in hiding.

"I don't know," Julia replied. "But I don't think we're supposed to know."

"Listen," said Santana to the other adults. "My battery's about to die, so we'll talk about this at our engagement barbecue at the end of the week."

"Didn't you just have an engagement party at Thanksgiving?" asked Kurt.

"Yeah, but Finchel and the Asians were out of town. And besides, I wanted to do something with just us."

"And remember," added Brittany. "Presents are always a plus. I know that you gave us some at Thanksgiving, but they sucked."

* * *

Quickly and quietly, the girls rushed back up the stairs before anyone could notice them.

"So not only do we need to find a new glee member," said Steph, back in Anna Maria's room, "but we also have to figure out what's going on with the adults!"

"…Why do we have to figure it out?" Julia questioned. "It's not our business."

"We're teenage girls; it's our duty," Anna Maria answered as if it was obvious.

"So what do we do?" asked Steph.

"Well," the Latina began, "I'm already not coming to school on Friday to help my moms with the engagement barbecue…so I can dig up some dirt with the adults."

"You _are_ the most manipulative of the three of us," Julia mused.

Anna Maria glanced at a picture of Santana on her bedroom wall. "I learned from the best."

"So while A.M. handles that, Jules can try to recruit a new member for glee, just in case _my_ plan doesn't work."

"And your plan is?" asked Anna Maria.

"Get Trey back."

* * *

"Can I be the first to say that you're all a bunch of idiots?"

"Sure you can, little brother. But we'll just ignore you."

Cole frowned as he drove his sister home from Anna Maria's. "You're twenty-seven minutes older than me. That's nothing."

"Whatever you say, little brother."

"But seriously," Cole continued, "you're all idiots. I mean, other than the part about trying to get a new member, you three are just freaking insane."

"Don't tell me that you're not curious about Ms. C."

The boy looked a little sheepish. "Okay, maybe a little. But it's still not my business."

"Remember what happened the last time we tried to keep secrets?" his sister reminded him. "Our family was almost torn apart. And you and I are only _just_ talking to Trey again!"

"And that's another thing," Cole said, changing the subject. "How in the hell are you supposed to convince Trey to rejoin DynamiX?"

"I did some research," said Steph. "Trey's soccer game starts at nine. Our competition slot isn't until three. He'll have plenty of time, so he can't use that as an excuse!"

"So you think there's something else keeping him from competing?"

"Yup," she claimed. "Ever since he started getting jealous of Cam, Trey's come to me for advice. If anyone can help him, it's me!"

"Why do I feel like this will end _very_ badly?"

* * *

At the end of the week on Friday morning, Julia and Steph met before school. They were currently seated in the school's outdoor courtyard.

"Anything on your end?" asked Steph.

"No," Julia bemoaned sadly. "I've had Cameron helping me, and we still couldn't find anyone interested. Or at least, no one who is willing to learn that much in such a short amount of time. What about you?"

"Trey won't budge," she responded. "Every time I bring up glee, he changes the subject.

"And Anna Maria?"

"Between her moms, Brittany's the better target," said Steph, "but every time she tries to go to question her, Santana's right there. So she's as stuck as we are."

The blonde sighed. "Nothing appears to be going our way, is it? As much as I hate to say it, I am quite discouraged."

"Um…excuse me?"

The girls looked up and saw a short freshman boy with long brown hair staring at them. Julia recognized him as Leo Lawson, one of the students that she tried to persuade into Vocal DynamiX.

"Hi!" she greeted. "Leo, right?"

"Y-Yes," the boy responded shyly. "I-I was wondering if that glee thing you mentioned the other day was still open. I'm not all that great, and to be honest, I-I'm better at playing instruments than actually singing and dancing, but I'm a fast learner. A-and I heard you just need one more person to compete."

Julia beamed happily as Cole and Cameron walked forward.

"Good morning," Cameron greeted, kissing Julia on the forehead and handing her a cup of coffee. "What's going on?"

"We've got our twelfth member of the glee club!" exclaimed Julia happily. "Leo Lawson, this is my boyfriend Cameron Evans, and Stefania and Coleridge Hudson. We're all members of Vocal DynamiX, and we're proud to welcome you!"

The young boy shook everyone's hand—Cole's a little longer—before Julia gave him rehearsal times and he scurried off.

"Well it looks like the sensible part of your plan worked, Steph," Cole said to his sister. "Since I know you won't drop the Beth thing, will you at least drop the Trey thing?"

The arm that Cameron had around Julia's waist tensed.

"Ouch, Cam!" Julia said, stepping away. "I know you're mad at _him_, but don't take it out on me!"

Cameron looked incredibly guilty. He'd just taken out his anger on his girlfriend in a physical manner. And they'd only been dating for a week. Sure it wasn't exactly abuse, but he was still displeased in himself. As he apologized to Julia profusely, Steph looked at her brother and spoke softly, as not to set Cameron off further.

"No I'm not dropping it. This isn't about DynamiX anymore. Trey is our friend, and I'm not giving up on him."

"I believe that we all should adopt that attitude," agreed Julia, giving Cameron a serious look.

The boy nodded. "Maybe you're right," he sighed. "Maybe things are going too far."

* * *

"Yo Ching-Chong!"

Trey grumbled from his locker before looking up to see Hank Swanson walking towards him.

"Just ran into Milton," the large boy continued, referring to the soccer team's captain. "We got a meeting at the end of the day today. First game's coming up, you know?"

Trey nodded back. He was quite surprised that Swanson had yet to say anything insulting…other than _Ching-Chong_.

"So if you get a break from bombing Pearl Harbor, how about you put down your lifetime supply of egg rolls and meet us in the locker room after school?"

Oh well. Easy come, easy go.

"Yeah, whatever," replied Trey, not looking at him. Swanson silently replied by shoving Trey into his locker with a laugh as he left. Trey rolled his eyes and started to leave when a different voice stopped him.

"Are you just gonna let him get away with that!" It was Steph.

"No big deal, Steph," answered the boy, faking a smile. "Just your average bully."

"That's no average bully."

"He's just mad that I took his spot on the team."

"And what about that egg roll crack? And Ching-Chong, seriously?"

"It's just a joke. A.M. makes jokes like that all the time!"

"A.M. makes jokes about you being short and kind of immature," forced Steph. "She never blamed you for Pearl Harbor!"

"So his jokes have a different…theme. So what?"

"Racism is not an appropriate joke theme, Trey!"

Trey frowned as the pair approached the cafeteria. "Is this just your way of getting me to quit the soccer team? Cause that's not happening. I'm sorry about Vocal DynamiX, but _my_ team needs me!"

Admittedly, the girl _had_ come to talk about the glee club, but seeing Swanson's behavior derailed her initial plans.

"This isn't about glee or soccer, Trey," she answered softly. "It's about you and that guy. I know you don't like what he's doing. These may seem like little jokes to you, but it's not right. Just promise me that you'll be careful."

Now seated at their usual table, awaiting the others, Trey sighed. "Fair enough."

* * *

Meanwhile, Anna Maria was scoping her home full of her mothers' friends, trying to find the perfect one to talk to.

Kurt _did_ love to tell a good story…but he was right next to Rachel, both preparing hors d'oeuvres. And since she was apparently just as clueless, Kurt was out.

Mercedes would be just as valuable…if she wasn't helping Santana with the music playlist. Santana would cut her friend off before she could even think of a response.

Her eyes travelled to Mike, Blaine, and Sam. The men were busy carrying tables across the Lopez-Pierce backyard. The three of them would be too sharp to give anything away. They were _definitely_ out.

Tina was currently at Hummel-Chang's and wouldn't even be there for another couple of hours.

And that left Brittany. Anna Maria had been trying to get to her mom all week, but Santana was always there to keep her fiancée quiet. Now, however, was the girl's perfect opportunity to weasel some dirt out of her mother. And the fact that Brittany was currently putting up streamers with Finn Hudson was a large push in her favor. After all, if she couldn't get Brittany, there was always the former Frankenteen.

* * *

Since they were all going to the Lopez-Pierce home after school, the group decided to carpool in the Hudsons' Escalade. And at the day's end, Julia, Cameron, Cole, and Steph were waiting on their final passenger.

"Where the hell is Trey?" Cameron grumbled. "Don't know why we even had to take him with us…"

"We're all going to the same place, Cam," Julia reminded him. "Besides, _you_ are the only one of us who hasn't made peace with him. And I thought that you agreed that the fighting had gone too far."

Cameron immediately thought back to that morning when he had unintentionally hurt Julia. "Yeah, you're right."

"Well, it _has_ been a while," agreed Steph. "His meeting should have ended by now. I'm gonna go look for him."

"I'll go too," added Cameron. "You guys are right. It's about time we settle this."

"Nothing makes sense to him until _you_ say it, you realize that?" Cole whispered to his cousin, who giggled as the pair went into the school.

* * *

As Trey left the locker room after his team meeting that afternoon, he realized that he'd left his phone. Upon returning to the room, he found Hank Swanson alone in the room, not really having a purpose of being there. Trey sighed, hoping that he could get his phone and leave without being noticed.

No suck luck.

"Hey there, Cheng!"

"It's Chang, Swanson," Trey responded at the large boy's purposeful gaffe. "It's always been Chang, and you know it."

Steph's words were coming back to him. There were a lot of underclassmen on the team. Sure Trey had taken Swanson's spot, but why was he only picking on him?

"Who do you think you're talking to, sophomore?"

Swanson slowly approached Trey, who backed away. He didn't need to get into any more trouble.

"I just came for my phone, Swanson."

"Tough luck, kid. You know, I've wanted the sweeper spot for years, and now _you_ are trying to take it from me?"

"I can't help that I'm better than you," Trey responded smugly and with surprising confidence.

"Alright, you son of a bitch—"

"Hey, what's going on in here?"

Both boys looked over to find Cameron and Steph, both giving Swanson looks of warning.

"Excuse me?" Swanson smirked.

Cameron repeated himself. "I said, 'What's going on in here?' You messing with our friend?"

Trey couldn't help but smile.

"So what if I am?" the bully grinned. "It's not like the slanted-eyed chink can even fight me back."

Trey Chang had never been more furious. And this was made clear when both Cameron and Steph had to hold him back as he cursed angrily at Swanson.

Cameron decided to step in and moved in front of Swanson, leaving Steph to hold back Trey. "That's too damn far, you jackass! Who the hell do you think you are?"

The boy growled threateningly. "You should really mind your own business, you fucking nigger."

While Trey's reaction was rage, Cameron's response to his own slur was silence and fear.

Steph decided to step in now. Between Trey's fury and Cameron's petrified state, things had already gone too far. "We're done here," she said darkly. "Guys, let's go."

"Fine," said Swanson. "Why bother hanging around a couple of fuckers who don't even deserve my damn air?"

As the boy left, Steph yelled at his back. "This isn't over, you racist pig!"

Trey, meanwhile, had his attention solely on Cameron, who hadn't spoken since Swanson's comment.

"You okay, man?" he asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Cameron had tears in his voice. "Can we just get out of here?"

* * *

Steph beat the boys to the Escalade and quickly warned Julia and Cole to not talk to the boys or mention anything, with the promise that she'd explain everything later. The ride to the Lopez-Pierce house was completely silent. Cole in the driver's seat, Steph beside him, and Julia, Cameron, and Trey in the back. Julia held one of Cameron's hands, only knowing that he needed some comfort. Trey's arm was around Cameron's shoulder. Neither boy, however, looked at the other.

When they reached their destination, Steph spoke up.

"Cole, Julia, let's go inside."

Though it was, by no means, subtle, Cameron and Trey appreciated the privacy.

"What the hell is going on, Steph?" Cole asked the second the doors to the Escalade were closed.

"Yeah, honey, what's up?"

Before Steph could answer, Anna Maria ran out from the backyard. "You guys are never gonna believe what I found ou—what the hell happened to you, Hudson?"

"Look," she said softly, "I only want to tell this story once, so can you get Tike and Samcedes to meet me in the living room?"

A few minutes later, the four adults were in the living room along with Anna Maria and Steph.

"Is this my cue to leave?" Anna Maria asked softly. When Steph nodded, the Latina continued. "Fair enough. But seriously, remind me to fill you in on Beth, later."

"Steph, honey, is everything okay?" asked Mercedes as Anna Maria exited the room.

"Not really…something happened with Trey and Cameron earlier…"

"Oh God, did they get in another fight?" Tina asked worriedly.

"Yeah, where are they?" questioned Sam.

"In the Escalade. They…needed a couple of minutes. You see, there's this guy, Swanson, I think?"

"Hank Swanson," Mike supplied. "He's Trey's competition on the soccer team. Kind of a bully."

"Yeah well, Cam and I ran into him picking on Trey after school, and Cam stepped in…then Swanson said some…things…um…some _racial_ things."

Mike felt himself tense and Mercedes immediately grabbed Sam's hand.

"What exactly did this boy say?" asked Tina.

Steph looked incredibly hesitant.

"The-the kinds of words that I'd feel really uncomfortable repeating."

"Oh HELL to the no!"

But it wasn't Mercedes who said that. Instead, it was Santana, who was leading the rest of the eavesdroppers into the room, including all of the adults, Cole, Julia, and Anna Maria.

"What the hell?" Steph whispered to her brother.

"You know the New Directions," he replied. "Gossip is like their crack."

"Who the hell does this bastard think he is?" Santana continued to scream. "I'm getting my people on the phone; this kid's going to jail! Actually scratch that, I've got a couple of uncles who can do a lot more damage. A.M., get my emergency Lima Heights Adjacent cell phone!"

"Everyone, calm down!" Sam screamed. He then turned to his wife and the Changs. "Mike, maybe we should go talk to them."

"Actually," Mercedes spoke up, "maybe I ought to go. No offense, but I can relate a little better, you know?"

Sam nodded and kissed his wife sympathetically.

"And Santana," Mike added as he and Mercedes left, "_please_ don't call your family."

Once they were gone, Mercedes quickly poked her head back inside. "But have them on standby."

* * *

"So how are you doing?"

"Well, I just spent the past five minutes crying into your arms like a six year old girl whose dog just died, so I feel pretty great. You?"

"Well, _I_ just spent the past five minutes crying into your shoulder like a _four_ year old girl whose imaginary goldfish just got flushed down the toilet. Your turn."

Cameron could help but chuckle. Trey's arm was still around Cameron's shoulder, and for the first time in months, there was no awkwardness between them. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Cameron spoke suddenly.

"What I don't get," he began, "is _why_ I'm so freaking upset about this. I mean, it's just a word. That's all it is. I shouldn't be _crying_ about a stupid word.

Trey thought for a minute before responding. "I guess I'm upset because I'm angry. All this time, Swanson's been saying crap like that to me to throw me off my game. I think that he thinks that saying that stuff would be the quickest way to knock me down emotionally so that he could get his 'rightful place' on the team."

"Then why did he get _me_ involved?" questioned Cameron. Trey had no answer for him.

"You know," the biracial boy continued, "now that I think about it, it's not the _words_ that Swanson said that made me so upset. It's what he was trying to do by saying them. It's like…a person who says that to someone…what is going on in his mind to make him think to say that? I think that's why I got so scared."

Trey looked skeptical. "I don't know, man. Are there still people like that out there?"

"Well, there are homophobes. Why not racists?"

"That's…a little scary. I'm not gonna lie."

There were a few more seconds of silence before Cameron spoke. "It sucks that it took _this_ to get us talking again."

"Yeah," Trey responded softly. "Dude, you know, I'm really—"

"I know," Cameron interrupted. "You told me while you were crying like a four year old girl, remember?"

Trey laughed. "But still. Cam, I am so sorry. About everything."

"So am I, dude. Can we forget about all of this?"

"Forget about what?"

Trey smiled, but when Cameron had a sudden strange look, he frowned. "What?"

"Um…what are you gonna do about Sectionals?"

"I'm gonna do both. I'll have enough time after my game to meet you guys at the competition. But I can't promise that I'll stick around afterwards. I'm in it for the wrong reasons, you know?"

Cameron nodded. "I'm proud of you. And I'm sorry about taking your dad away. And for calling you a baby."

"I thought we were done with apologies."

"I still owe you some…oh crap."

"What?"

"My mom and your dad just walked outside. They're staring right at us."

"I think Cole left the keys. Wanna make a break for it?"

"Nah. I kinda want to talk to them."

Trey nodded. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

"Finn, get away from the window! That's rude!"

Finn shrunk away from the window and took a seat next to Brittany on the couch. Things had somewhat died down since Mercedes and Mike went outside. Sam was in the kitchen on the phone with the school principal, with Santana on standby, just in case she needed to make a call of her own. Rachel, who had just reprimanded her husband, sat with Kurt as they tried to calm down Tina, who had started crying at the thought of her son being racially targeted. Blaine, meanwhile, was giving a watered-down version of the events to Tyler and Lucy, Trey and Cameron's siblings.

Upstairs, Anna Maria, Cole, Julia, and Steph were in Anna Maria's bedroom.

"I swear," the Latina began, "if that ass had said something like that to me…"

She trailed off, crossing her arms as she sat on her bed. Cole put an arm around her.

"I cannot believe that this happened," said Julia softly. "Black, white, straight, gay. People are people with feelings and emotions. We all want to be loved! We shouldn't distance ourselves by our differences. We should be coming together and embracing each other!"

"Was that an invitation for a hug?" asked Anna Maria. "Because I don't feel like getting up."

"Not to be insensitive," began Steph, "but could we change the subject? That was a little difficult to watch."

"Okay," said Cole. "So, who was that new glee guy that you guys found this morning?"

"Oh, you got someone?" asked Anna Maria. Because she missed the day, this was news to her.

"Oh, yes!" said Julia. "His name is Leo Lawson, and he is one grade below us. Very timid and soft-spoken. He says that he is a much better instrumentalist, but he'd participate in the dances if it helps our numbers! It was so polite of him!"

"Guess nice people exist after all."

The four turned their heads to the door and found a smiling Cameron and Trey. Julia immediately went to hug them, leaving her arm around Cameron.

"So," the blonde started slowly, "how are…"

Trey sighed. "Okay, let's get the preliminaries out of the way: what happened today sucked, but it's over. Our parents are handling it with the school now, so we'll see what happens from there. Cam and I apologized for everything, and we're friends again. And I'm not quitting Vocal DynamiX…at least, not right now."

The group smiled. It had been a long time since the six of them were in one room and happy at the same time.

"Well, Coleridge," Steph said, looking at her brother, "it would appear that our plan worked out after all. We got Trey back, we got a new member for the club, _and_ A.M. got some dirt on Beth."

"Oh, that's right!" Julia remembered. "With everything going on, I forgot that you mentioned that!"

"What plan?" asked Cameron. Trey looked confused as well.

"Let's just say that the girls are dumbasses and leave it at that," Cole informed them.

"Up yours, Hudson! You know, since you like that now."

Cole choked on the water that he'd just taken a sip of as the others laughed at the Latina's crude joke.

"Ha ha ha," he replied dryly. "So what's your news?"

Anna Maria's face turned serious, thinking of exactly where to begin. "Cole, Steph, how much do you know about your mom's birth mother?"

* * *

And I think I'll cut it off there! Hope you enjoyed Chapter 8. I've actually been looking forward to this one. The Cameron/Trey plot was one of the first ideas in my head related to this series. I rewrote this a lot, especially the Swanson scene and the Cam/Trey van scene. Let me know if you see any holes, and I'll do my best to fill them up!

This was running a little long, so I decided to put the Anna Maria/Beth revelation scene in the next chapter. And I've will DEFINITELY make the Mike/Mercedes/Cam/Trey conversation into one of the interludes. I would have put it here, but the way that I wrote it just felt a little awkward. But I feel that it's important to show that conversation, so I promise that I will.

**In the Next Chapter: The day the Vocal DynamiX have been training for is finally here: Sectionals! Meanwhile, the secret of Beth Corcoran is revealed, and Cole makes a new "friend" at the competition.**


	9. When You Wish Upon a Star

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: Nope...still not mine.

**A/N: To all of my incredible reviewers and silent fans, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support and interest; it is truly appreciated. This next chapter is somewhat of a turning point for the story. I'd rather not give too much away right now, but just be prepared for some more...mature scenes ahead. Again, I'll keep things as subtle as possible. But anyway, this A/N is too long already, so here's Chapter 9!**

Chapter 9 – When You Wish Upon a Star

The Hudson twins looked at each other as they pondered Anna Maria's question: "Cole, Steph, how much do you know about your mom's birth mother?"

"Not much, now that I think about it," answered Steph.

"Yeah," added Cole. "We just always accepted that Mom has two dads. I don't think it ever came up. But what does that have to do with Beth?"

"Well," started the Latina, "while you guys were at school dealing with glee club recruits and ignorant racists, I found out some interesting things while I was at home today."

* * *

_Flashback to a few hours before._

_Anna Maria walked towards Brittany S. Pierce and Finn Hudson hopefully. After all, if she could manipulate any adult into telling a secret, it would be these two._

_"Hi Mom. Hi Uncle Finn," she greeted in the most polite and sweet voice that she could muster._

_"Oh, hey A.M.," replied Finn, his eyes focused on the streamers._

_"What's going on, here?" the girl asked._

_"Finn doesn't know what the hell he's doing," Brittany responded plainly._

_"Well, **you** keep telling me what to do, Britt!"_

_"Then why don't you actually do it?"_

_"Um, hey. Still here," Anna Maria interrupted. "And I actually have a question for you two."_

_"Sure kid, shoot," said Finn._

_"Don't tell my daughter to shoot people, Finn. Santana doesn't like having to bail her out of jail."_

_Ignoring her mother, Anna Maria asked her question, making sure to word it carefully. "I was…looking in Mami's yearbook from McKinley, and Aunt Quinn signed it, thanking her for…her help with Beth. Any idea what that's about?"_

_Anna Maria had absolutely no idea if Santana Lopez still even possessed a McKinley High yearbook, yet alone if Quinn Fabray-Puckerman had written anything in it. Nevertheless, she was proud of her lie, knowing that neither adult would try to fact-check her._

_"Um…" Finn thought as quickly as he could. "There's a song called 'Beth' by KISS—they're like **really** old—but anyway, Quinn and your mom sang that for a senior project in glee. And that's why Quinn thanked her."_

_"But…I thought **Puck** sang that to Quinn while they were thinking of baby names."_

_"Because," Finn interjected, trying to recover for Brittany's gaffe, "Quinn and Puck were so in love in high school, that they were already talking about baby names."_

_"But my Mami told me that Quinn hated Puck," the young girl mused craftily. "In fact, just last week, she commented on how they randomly got back together at the end of senior year."_

_"That **was** pretty random…" thought Brittany. "It's like the writers of their lives got drunk one day and decided to stick them together without warning or any previous inclinations of attraction."_

_Though they were both used to Brittany's…"Brittany-isms," Anna Maria and Finn looked at her with confusion._

_"Besides," Brittany continued, "after Puck knocked her up sophomore year, I never thought that they'd—"_

_"WHAT!"_

_"Puck knocked Quinn up in high school," the blonde said simply. "And then she had your glee teacher."_

_"No. Freaking. Way."_

* * *

"No. Freaking. Way."

The Latina smirked at the reactions of her friends. "Oh, it gets better."

* * *

_"Britt! Mercedes's copy of 'Run the World (Girls)' is scratched. Do you still have yours?"_

_Brittany looked across the yard to where Santana had yelled. "Yeah, I'll go get it!"_

_She smiled at her daughter, frowned at Finn for not having the streamers up by now, and left. Anna Maria was pleased. Now that her mom spilled the beans, she could get straight answers from Finn._

_"So…Uncle Finn…"_

_"No."_

_"You don't even know what I want!"_

_"You want me to tell you about Quinn and Beth!"_

_"Well, I guess you **do** know what I want," the girl deadpanned._

_"Look, A.M.—"_

_"Come on, Uncle Finn! My mom actually told me all of this stuff already, but she just forgot!" she lied. "You'd just be filling in the blanks!"_

_Finn looked skeptical. Yet, he didn't stop to wonder why Anna Maria would be asking them about Beth if Brittany had already told her._

_"Okay…how about this?" said the girl as she began to tell the story. "In high school, Puck knocked up Quinn and had a baby. Fast forward twenty-ish years, and that baby's our glee club director?"_

_"Basically."_

_The girl seemed content, but then she suddenly remembered something, so she began to improvise once more. "And Mom also told me about how your wife is involved."_

_"I doubt Brittany would have told you that Rachel's birth mom adopted Beth."_

_Anna Maria grinned. "You're right, she didn't. **You** just did."_

* * *

"You are crafty as hell, Satan," remarked Cameron. "I must say I'm impressed."

Anna Maria took a bow.

"Aunt Quinn had a baby in high school…" Julia stated slowly. "Aunt Quinn had _our teacher_ in high school!"

"This is big," agreed Trey.

"And she's kind of our aunt," Cole added, looking at his sister.

There was a knock on the door, immediately followed by Finn's entrance into the room.

"Did he just knock and walk in without me even saying anything?" muttered Anna Maria under her breath.

"Um…Cam, Trey, your parents want to talk to you downstairs." Finn paused and looked around the room. He could tell by their faces that something was up. "What's going on—" He stopped upon seeing the Latina's crafty grin. "Holy crap, you told them, didn't you?"

"Did you really expect anything less from me, Frankenteen?"

"You're too much like your mother."

"So I've been told."

* * *

The next Saturday morning at James Buchanan High was incredibly busy. The school was hosting both the first soccer game of the season and the Showchoir Sectionals Competition. With the luxury of being on their home turf, several members of the Vocal DynamiX were lounging in their practice room, including Anna Maria, Julia, and Cameron—the latter two busy with Eskimo kisses, and the former throwing paper balls at them.

"Oh come on, Steph! Can you seriously not even look at me?"

The group looked up to find Steph entering, Cole behind her.

"What'd my boy do this time?" asked Anna Maria.

"Nothing important," Cole said quickly.

"I was trying to get ready to come over here," his sister started, ignoring the boy, "but _someone_ wouldn't get out of the bathroom. I'm finally able to bust the door open, and what do I find? My twin brother fondling himself to gay phone porn!"

Cameron came out of his Eskimo kiss long enough to laugh sympathetically. "Oh, dude. Busted!"

"I am so glad I'm an only child," rejoiced Anna Maria.

"Seconded!" agreed Julia.

"Well, I'm sorry, Steph!" Cole sighed unapologetically. "I'm a teenage guy with hormones who happened to catch a glimpse of a shirtless Knox Jolie-Pitt before he started getting ready."

"How did you _just happen_ to catch a glimpse of the shirtless son of some old-ass celebrities?" questioned the Latina.

"He's…kinda my screensaver."

"Dude, that's sad," bemoaned Cameron.

"Just last night, I had to make you change _your_ screensaver from a picture of the Kardashians from 2011!" his girlfriend remarked.

"They were hot back then!"

Before Julia could protest further, Trey entered in a dirty soccer uniform.

"Hey guys!" he greeted with a very wide smile.

"So I'm guessing you won?" asked Steph hopefully.

"Hells yeah, we won!" As his friends congratulated him, the Asian continued. "And that's not even the best part. Swanson got suspended from the team!"

Cameron took personal interest. "Really?"

"Yeah," Trey explained. "The principal and the coach reviewed the security tapes, and they proved that _he_ was antagonizing _us_! So he's off indefinitely!"

"What about…the racial stuff?" his friend asked uncomfortably.

Trey frowned. "There wasn't any audio on the tape, so it would just be his word against ours. But I _do_ think that Aunt Santana may be up to something, so keep your ears open."

The biracial boy smiled, pleased that he had someone so close to him with so many connections.

"So," asked Trey, looking at the others, "what'd I miss, here?"

"Nothing much," replied Anna Maria. "Cole's just a little perv is all."

"A.M.!" Cole screamed.

"Stefania caught him…touching himself," Julia clarified sheepishly.

"Jules!"

"Sucks for you, man," Trey sympathized.

"Why are you making such a big deal out of this? It's not like this is the first time you've caught me!" Cole asked.

"It's just…weird, Cole!" explained his sister. "I've just never pictured you as a sexual being!"

"Well, you're my sister, so I should hope not."

"I'm with her, Coley," Anna Maria acknowledged. "You're the last person I expected to be so…hormonal."

"You had a crush on me three months ago!"

"And even then, it was just a _friend_ crush!"

"That's not even a thing!"

Cameron decided to step in. "Girls, come on. Leave Cole alone."

"Thank you, Cameron."

"Just because our friend is a horny gay bastard—"

Cole screamed exasperatedly and stormed out.

* * *

"Who do they think they are?" Cole grumbled to himself as he walked through the empty halls. "I may not be as…upfront with it, but I like…intimacy…as much as the next guy…even if I _can't_ actually say it."

He continued to muse. After all, Cameron had Julia, and Trey…may or may not have something with Steph, he wasn't actually sure there. And as for Anna Maria…well, the girl wasn't a slut by any means, but she definitely got a lot of offers. But him? Well, how many gay guys were around? It wasn't like he had a basket of gays to pick from.

Briefly smiling at the thought of a basket of gay men, Cole stopped upon hearing music coming from one of the classrooms. But it wasn't a recording; it was actual, live music. The boy slowly peered into the room to observe a group of about eight students playing various instruments from keyboard to guitar to trumpet. One player in particular, the saxophonist, was the first to notice the boy at the door.

"Fellas, it looks like we've got a visitor," the young man said, taking the instrument from his lips and adjusting his thick glasses.

"Oh, I-I'm so sorry. I'll leave you to practice." An embarrassed Cole turned to leave, but the saxophonist grabbed his arm.

"No big, man," he told the tall boy. "We were just freestyling."

"So…are you guys here with one of the groups?" Cole asked sheepishly, trying to save face.

The saxophonist smiled, noticing Cole's shy nature. "Yeah. We're playing backup for the Show Stoppers from St. Matthew's."

"So, you go to St. Matthew's, then?" Cole mentally kicked himself. What a stupid question! Why was he so flustered?

"No, actually," the boy answered to Cole's surprise. "I mean, _they_ do," he forwarded to the players behind him, who were now relaxing. "But I'm actually between schools right now. These guys just hired me to play for them."

Cole nodded. "How exactly are you between schools?"

The saxophonist responded quickly. "Parents are in the middle of a divorce; not too sure where exactly I'm ending up."

"I am so sorry," replied Cole. "I should be asking you this…hell, I don't even know your name, and I'm getting into your perso—"

The boy extended his hand with a smile, cutting Cole off. "I'm Jack."

The tall boy accepted the handshake. "Cole, Vocal DynamiX."

Jack glanced at the rainbow-patterned band around Cole's wrist as they shook hands. "Gay pride, huh?"

Cole was suddenly nervous. It was only a matter of time before someone would start to treat him differently. "Um…yeah…" he replied, regretting wearing the wristband.

"Relax, Cole," Jack replied warmly. "I kinda had a feeling." He then whispered a little softly with a sly smile, "Looks like we're on the same team."

"Yo Jack, let's get back to work!" the drummer screamed at Jack's back.

Jack waved a response, and then looked back at Cole. "I gotta get back, but stick around if you want."

The boy traced a hand across Cole's cheek with absolutely no sense of subtlety before returning to the group. As Jack took to his seat and winked to Cole before starting to play his saxophone, Cole grinned bashfully. The tall boy was pretty new to the gay scene, and this was the first time that someone had taken interest in him…Was it even interest? Maybe it was just flattery. Maybe he was overthinking it.

"Oh, there you are!"

Cole looked outside of the room and saw Trey approach, still in his soccer uniform.

"Dude, we're sorry about earlier. We were just messing with you. Didn't think you'd take it so hard."

"It's okay," Cole whispered before turning back to look at the musicians. Trey followed his eyes.

"Wow, they're good," commented Trey. "Like…_really_ good. Why don't _we_ have a live band?"

Cole was silent. The main "instrumentation" of the Vocal DynamiX came from instrumental tracks of a very impressive speaker system. Most showchoirs _did_ have a band of some sort. Why didn't they?

"No idea," responded Cole, half listening, half staring in awe at the first guy to show some sort of romantic interest.

Trey frowned in realization. "Would you like me to leave you alone with the hipster?"

"What?"

"You're not even listening to me! You're too busy giving the sax player goo goo eyes!"

Cole quickly pushed him out of the room. "Am not, and shut up!"

"You're blushing!" exclaimed Trey as they headed back to their practice room. "You want the hipster!"

"He's not a hipster!"

"But you _do_ want him."

"…Shut up."

* * *

Trey re-entered the DynamiX room a few minutes later alone. His friends looked at him expectantly.

"I found Cole. He's alright," he told them.

Anna Maria sighed in relief. "He isn't mad, is he? We were just joking around."

"No, I think he's cooled off now. He stopped in the bathroom and told me to go ahead."

"Ten bucks says he's jacking off again," quipped Cameron.

"Ugh, flashbacks," groaned Steph.

"That isn't nice, Cam," smiled Julia.

"He may be right, though," Trey informed them. "When I found Cole, he was checking out this sax player from one of the other schools."

"My boy's got a boyfriend!" Anna Maria congratulated excitedly.

"No, I think it's just a crush," Trey corrected. "But the way the other guy was looking at Cole, the feeling may have been mutual."

Everyone grinned as Cole walked into the room. He noticed their creepy expressions and frowned.

"What's with you gu—damn it, Trey!"

"Who me?" Trey grinned innocently.

"Relax Hudson," assured Cameron. "Trey didn't say anything about your new secret boyfriend."

He immediately covered his mouth and everyone groaned at him for spilling the beans so easily.

"Were you even _trying_ to be quiet, Trouty Mouth?" said the Latina with a glare.

Cole cut them off. "Guys, it's no big deal. He's not my secret boyfriend; I don't even know his last name. He's just a meaningless crush that I'll never see again."

"Hey there, Pretty Boy."

The six turned to the unfamiliar voice to find Cole's crush standing in the open door frame. The tall boy immediately blushed.

"I heard that the DynamiX were in here," Jack continued. "We're about to go on, and I just wanted to wish you good luck." The boy winked through his glasses and flirty smile and left before Cole could even think of a non-embarrassing response.

"Way…to go…Cole!" Anna Maria exclaimed, patting her best friend on the shoulder. "He's hot! And he's totally into you. You should definitely hit that!"

"Anna Maria!" he squeaked.

"While the crass nature of her statement is unnecessary," began Julia, "Anna Maria makes a valid point. He really seemed to like you. After all, he went out of his way to wish you good luck."

Cole groaned. "Guys, I _really_ don't want to talk about this."

"I second that," agreed Steph. "The last thing I want to hear about is my brother's sex life."

"What's with you, Girl Hudson?" questioned Anna Maria with a smile. "I'm sure Cole has heard a big earful of you're on-again, off-again 'whatever' with Chang."

Both Trey and Steph were taken aback.

"Um…we don't have an on-again, off-again _anything_," clarified Steph as Trey nodded swiftly.

"Really?" The Latina was honestly shocked. "I thought it was as obvious as _Camlia_ over there. My mistake."

Julia looked at Cameron. "Did you hear that? We have a nickname now!"

"Cutting the potentially awkward tension with a subject changer," Cameron smiled. "That's my girl."

* * *

A few hours later, the Vocal DynamiX, now in costume, were standing on stage with the curtains closed, the audience on the other side. Beth Corcoran was standing in front of them, offering a final pep talk.

"I just want to say," said Beth, "that I am incredibly proud of you. You guys went from a rag-tag group of amateurs to a strong, cohesive unit. You've overcome pretty serious hardships and disagreements," she paused to look at Cameron and Trey, the former patting the latter on the back, "and have come out on the other side in one piece. Whatever happens today, just know that I'm so proud and honored to be your director."

The group applauded and a few hugs were exchanged. The teacher gave a final good luck statement before leaving, and Anna Maria followed her out. The remaining twelve group members started to scatter to their opening positions. As they did so, Trey walked to Steph.

"Um…we never really talked about what happened back there."

"Nothing happened," Steph said quickly. "A.M. just made an assumption. A really incorrect assumption."

Trey nodded in agreement. "Maybe she did, but…have you ever…"

"Are we really gonna have this conversation right now? We are literally minutes from starting."

"Good point. But promise me that we'll finish this discussion."

The girl sighed a little reluctantly. "Okay."

Trey nodded nervously and walked over to his place beside Cole and Cameron.

"So…are you gonna date my sister, now?"

"So…are you gonna date the sexy sax player, now?"

"Touché."

* * *

In the audience of the large auditorium, Kurt Hummel-Anderson screamed softly and reached over his step-brother's lap to speak to Rachel Hudson.

"Oh. My. God! Rachel, the kids are doing Disney!"

Rachel smiled excitedly and reached over, ignoring the fact that her sharp elbow was now resting in Finn's crotch. "Are you serious?"

"Yes! Look at the program!"

"Could you guys not have this conversation right above my junk?" Finn said nervously.

Ignoring him, Rachel gasped at the program. "Oh this is so exciting!" She read the program. "Vocal DynamiX…featured soloists…tribute to Disney…director Beth…Corcoran."

Rachel gaped at the piece of paper as Finn and Kurt nervously looked at each other.

"Um, Rachel, honey," started Finn. "I know you're freaking out a little, but—"

"Is this even…this can't be…but it's so…wait a minute," she looked at her husband with an accusing look, "how did you know that there would be something for me to freak out abou—did you know about this?"

Grilled Cheesus must have been on Finn's side that day, because a voice over the intercom of the large room silenced them…for now.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…FROM RIGHT HERE IN CINCINNATI…BUCHANAN HIGH PRESENTS…VOCAL DYNAMIX!"

The audience applauded and soon silenced as the instrumental track began to play. Rachel still looked displeased, but decided to hold her anger for the moment. Oohs and aahs filled the room and everyone turned to the back of the room to find Anna Maria walking down the aisle in a simple light brown dress as she began to sing.

**_ANNA MARIA:_**

**_You think I'm an ignorant savage._**

**_And you've been so many places, I guess it must be so._**

**_But still I cannot see…if the savage one is me._**

**_How can there be so much that you don't know?_**

**_You don't know?_**

**_You think you own whatever land you land on._**

**_The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim._**

**_But I know every rock and tree and creature_**

**_Has a life, has a spirit, has a name._**

**_You think the only people who are people_**

**_Are the people who look and think like you._**

**_But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger,_**

**_You'll learn things you never knew you never knew._**

**_Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon_**

**_Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?_**

**_Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?_**

**_Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?_**

**_Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?_**

The girl had reached the stage by the time she started the second verse, and the curtain was raised to reveal the rest of the members of the group. Each of the girls wore dresses similar to Anna Maria's, though in a different pastel-type of color. The guys wore black pants with dress shirts whose colors corresponded with the dresses of the girls.

After her second verse and an emotional recurrence of the chorus, the instrumental track died away, signifying the end of her song. Though Brittany S. Pierce and Santana Lopez would later argue over who between the two of them was the first to stand for the girl, the couple clearly led the standing ovation. Once it died down and the Latina took a quick bow, she stepped aside for Julia and Cameron to take the spotlight. They, of course, were matching: Julia in a light blue dress, and Cameron with the same shade on his shirt.

Beth smiled from her seat in the audience. After seeing Julia and Cameron's chemistry at their audition, she wanted to do something for the competition that got to show off their banter. With the theme being Disney, Beth was proud of her song choice to showcase the pair.

**_JULIA:_**

**_When trying to express oneself, it's frankly quite absurd_**

**_To leaf through lengthy lexicons to find the perfect word._**

**_A little spontaneity keeps conversation keen;_**

**_You need to find a way to say, precisely what you mean..._**

**_Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious!_**

**_Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious!_**

**_If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious,_**

**_JULIA & COMPANY:_**

**__****_Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious!_**

**_Um-diddle-iddle-iddle-um-diddle-aye!_**

**_Um-diddle-iddle-iddle-um-diddle-aye!_**

**_CAMERON:_**

**_Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad,_**

**_My father gave me nose a tweak and told me I was bad._**

**_But then one day I learned a word that saved me achin' nose._**

**_CAMERON & JULIA:_**

**_The biggest word you've ever heard, and this is how it goes: Oh!_**

**__****_Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious!_**

**_Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious!_**

**_If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious,_**

**_FULL COMPANY:_**

**__****_Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious!_**

**_Um-diddle-iddle-iddle-um-diddle-aye!_**

**_Um-diddle-iddle-iddle-um-diddle-aye!_**

The jovial song was getting very positive feedback from the audience, who seemed to enjoy both the interactions between the two lead singers and the choreography of the group as a whole. It was a little unorthodox for a competition, but based on the audience reaction at the song's end, Beth Corcoran had made the right decision; although, she mentally promised herself that Julia would receive a more emotional solo if the group made it to Regionals.

Soon, the lights dimmed and an African chant began to ring through the auditorium from most of the DynamiX members as they altered their positions to form one large arc across the stage. Standing in the middle of the arc were the Hudson twins.

**_COLE:_**

**_From the day we arrive on the planet,_**

**_And blinking, step into the sun,_**

**_There's more to see than can ever be seen;_**

**_More to do than can ever be done._**

**_STEPH:_**

**_There's far too much to take in here;_**

**_More to find than can ever be found._**

**_But the sun rolling high_**

**_Through the sapphire sky_**

**_Keeps great and small on the endless round._**

**_COLE & STEPH (in harmony):_**

**_It's the Circle of Life_**

**_And it moves us all._**

**_Through despair and hope,_**

**_Through faith and love._**

**_Till we find our place_**

**_On the path unwinding._**

**_In the Circle,_**

**_The Circle of Life!_**

"Finn," Kurt whispered to his step-brother in awe, "he…he sounds just like you."

"Yeah," the tall man responded with a smile, "but better."

He turned to his wife, hoping for a response, but Rachel's eyes were focused on the stage. As entranced as she was by her children's performance, Finn could tell that Rachel was still furious at him for keeping the secret of Beth Corcoran. He decided, for the time being, to not poke the beast.

Meanwhile, on stage, Trey, Cameron, Julia, and Anna Maria were smiling through their backing vocals. While the Evans boy was the best dancer, when it came to pure singing, Cole Hudson seemed to be on the way to becoming the top male vocalist. And remarkably enough, he had no idea that he was good until after he joined the glee club. Just like his dad.

Soon, every member of Vocal Dynamix joined in with Steph and Cole for one final reprise of the chorus that resonated throughout the entire room and ultimately ended their competition set. They received a standing ovation and had brought many audience members to tears. It was the perfect closing set.

* * *

"Hey there, Pretty Boy."

Cole, fresh off his Sectionals win, looked up from the bathroom sink and saw Jack entering.

"Oh, hi Jack," said Cole. "I—I heard your sax solo in that Stevie Wonder song. You were great."

"Not as great as you," Jack replied, walking toward the sinks himself and cleaning his glasses. "_Lion King_ is a classic. Timon and Pumbaa would be proud."

Cole laughed. "Thanks."

Jack put a now-dry hand on Cole shoulder. "You're kinda cute, you know?"

"Really?" the tall boy responded shyly. It was strange. Cole had a good four inches ahead of Jack; yet, it was the shorter boy who was making all of the leading moves.

"Yeah…I'd be happy to show you how cute you are, sometime."

Cole looked a little confused. "What do you mean?"

Jack's hand traced down Cole's back and stopped right at the belt that held up Cole's pants. "Well," he stated plainly for the boy's benefit, "you're gay, I'm gay. I think you're pretty cute, and you've been staring at me all day."

Cole blushed for two reasons: one was that he had no idea that Jack knew that he was watching him. The second was that Jack's hand was now casually gliding around Cole's belt until it stopped right above the zipper in Cole's pants…which were suddenly becoming a little uncomfortable.

Jack continued. "My point is…I can…help you out, if you want."

The Hudson boy looked apprehensive. "I don't know…I-I do like you and all…but we just met—"

Cole gasped when Jack's hand literally grasped his now fully erect penis. His mind and his body were clearly on two different wavelengths.

"Your mouth says one thing," Jack whispered into Cole's ear seductively. "but your dick says another."

Cole remained silent…was he actually considering this?

"How about this?" propositioned Jack. "You haven't said no yet. So, I'll do my thing…and you can just say no when you want me to stop."

Cole's mind was reeling as Jack sunk to his knees. Everything in his mind was telling him not to do this. Every after-school special. Every guest speaker.

The belt buckle went undone. Cole didn't say no.

Granted, no one ever said "Never let a random guy give you a blowjob in a public bathroom." But he figured that it was implied. But then again…it's not like there was a big line of guys willing to date Cole. And now one was literally on his knees for him. How the hell could he pass this up? Besides, he'd never see this guy again.

The zipper went down. Cole didn't say no.

And lots of teenagers were having sex, right? And even more adults were having sex with random people, right? At least, that's what TV seemed to imply.

The pants were pulled down. Cole didn't say no.

No one would ever expect something like this from Cole Hudson. But why did _he_ always have to be the good guy, anyway? Truthfully, Cole was quite a different person behind closed doors. Why should _he_ have to go by anyone else's expectations? He wanted this.

Cole felt himself exposed in the cold air of the bathroom. And soon, he felt something else.

And he never said no.

* * *

Wow! I just realized that a lot happened in this chapter. Where to start?

First off, nothing is over. I know that there are a lot of things up in the air plot-wise, and I know that a couple of things came out of left field. But I promise that I haven't gone crazy. Everything will be resolved and explained…just not necessarily in the next chapter. So…good, bad or ugly? You be the judge.

Next, why hasn't real Glee done a Disney episode yet? Maybe licensing purposes? A bit unconventional for competition, but let's roll with it and see what happens! And sorry for how I had to write Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious; the site wouldn't let me do it as one word.

And finally, does anybody know how to draw? I'm not really digging the "cover" I made for my story, and I was just curious.

FEATURED SONGS:

"Colors of the Wind" from _Pocahontas_, by Judy Kuhn

"Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious" from _Mary Poppins_, by Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke (with additional lyrics taken from the Broadway musical)

"Circle of Life" from _The Lion King_, by Carmen Twillie

**In the Next Chapter: During Santana and Brittany's wedding reception, old flames reunite, new flames emerge, friends return, and more revelations are made.**


	10. All I Want for Christmas is You

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, but I do own a Tumblr blog! (gotta love shameless self-promotion)

**A/N: Thanks for last chapter's feedback! Some warnings still apply, but enough rambling. Here's the Winter Finale!**

Chapter 10 – All I Want for Christmas is You

The Vocal DynamiX were on top of the world. They had just won their first competition at Sectionals, and with Christmas right around the corner, nothing could bring them down. On the last day of school before the holiday break was to begin, the thirteen members of the group were seated in their practice room with director Beth Corcoran in front of them.

"Before we start our last meeting leading up to the holidays," said the teacher, "Anna Maria would like to make an announcement."  
Beth stepped aside, and the girl in question rose from her seat to the front of the room.

"Thanks, Ms. C.," the girl began. She then looked at the group. "Alright, guys. As you know, my moms are getting married on Christmas Eve morning, and they're having a big reception dinner that night, complete with press and newspapers and all that crap."

"Anna Maria…" warned Beth.

"Sorry. All that _stuff_." She continued. "But anyway, my moms have decided to invite the Vocal DynamiX to perform at the reception dinner on Christmas Eve night."

While some of the group seemed very excited, others started grumbling over having to give up their holiday to "work."

Seeing this, Anna Maria amended her statement. "And let me add that it will be _televised_." This certainly seemed to change the tunes of the nay-sayers.

"Well you guys," Beth announced, walking back in front of them, "looks like we've got some Christmas songs to learn!"

* * *

Dirty.

That was the perfect way to describe how Cole Hudson was feeling. It was the end of the day, right after glee, and he was standing outside of the bathroom where he…encountered the saxophonist from Sectionals.

From the second that Cole left that bathroom that day, he felt ashamed. He let a guy that he had known for a maximum of four hours perform oral sex on him in a public place. That was the kind of thing that you'd see on one of those shows on MTV…or _Jersey Shore: the Animated Series_.

For a while, Cole even asked himself a tough question: was it rape? Had he been raped? He honestly wasn't sure when he went home that night. Over the course of the next few days, he reluctantly decided in his head that it wasn't rape. After all, he could have said no, right? At least...that's how Cole chose to justify it. But the pieces in his mind were just too mixed up for Cole to even put together.

He couldn't stop staring at the door; his mind went back to that day, and all of the feelings rushed back with it: Shame, self-humiliation, anxiousness, nervousness, curiosity, intrigue, enticement, desire, a need for more.

It was so bizarre. This one event brought forth feelings of pain _and_ pleasure to the Hudson boy, and how any one event could do that to a person struck Cole as quite strange. For as guilty as he felt about what happened in that bathroom…he wanted to do it again…it was as wild as it was impractical...it was as foolish as it was fun...and in the strangest way possible...he liked it.

"Dude, are you gonna pee or what?"

Cole snapped out of his daze long enough to notice Trey Chang staring at him.

"Um…no, I…just got distracted, is all," he replied. "Let's go."

As they walked off, Cole noticed through his own nerves that the short boy seemed to be nervous himself.

"So, are you just leaving the glee room?" asked Cole.

"Yeah," he replied. "Needed to talk to Ms. C."

"So, you're officially out now, huh?"

Trey paused. "Not quite…I'm not exactly sure yet…I'll let you know in January."

Cole produced a puzzled look. "Okay…"

* * *

Brittany and Santana's friends had all agreed that since it was their day, the rest of the New Directions would be in charge of planning the reception. Therefore, on Christmas Eve morning, while the Lopez-Pierce family was at an undisclosed location getting married in privacy, Mr. and Mrs. Chang, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, the Misters Hummel-Anderson, and Mr. Hudson were in the large reception hall finishing the decorating as the first guests began to arrive. Mrs. Hudson, meanwhile, was happily sitting down and watching them.

"Hey Rach," said Sam, approaching her with a box. "Could you take this over to Mike?"

"No thank you, Samuel."

Before Sam could protest, Finn rushed over. "Uh, remember dude. She's still pissed at us for keeping Beth a secret, so as punishment, she's not gonna help us."

"So as _punishment_," whispered Mercedes to Kurt and Tina at the adjacent table, "we don't have to hear her bitch about how we're doing things wrong? I kinda like this."

"Be careful, Mercedes," warned Tina, "or else, she may send you to a crack house."

"You know, Finn," Rachel told her husband as Sam walked off, "it's not like I would have overreacted about the news. I've accepted my relationship with Shelby years ago, and Beth is of no concern to me."

Finn nodded apologetically. "I know. I was just afraid you'd feel weird that your sister was teaching the kids."

"Shelby isn't my mother, and therefore, Beth isn't my sister. It's as simple as that. I'm fine."

Finn noted that the woman didn't seem angry at all when saying that. It was just a fact that she had accepted. No false pretenses, no inclinations of manipulation. She was genuinely fine…or at least, content. He made a note to himself that their conversation was far from over.

"That's great, Rachel," Kurt said, walking over with Tina.

"And we _are_ sorry about not telling you until now," Tina added.

"Really you two, I'm okay. I understand that you were just trying to protect my feelings. However, watching you all do all the work while I just relax _is_ enjoyable." Suddenly, the tone of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" interrupted Rachel, who turned to Finn. "Honey, is that _your_ phone?"

The tall man smiled giddily. "It's Schue's personal ringtone! Cole taught me how to do that! Be right back."

Finn walked off to take his phone call and passed Sam and Mercedes. Their daughter Lucy was nearby, playing on her own cell phone.

"Based on Rachel's smile, it looks like we're in the clear," noted Sam.

"That's good," sighed Mercedes. "I'm still worried though. With Beth coming today, how do you think Quinn will react?"

"Well, who says she even needs to know that Beth is here?"

"Isn't that a little deceitful?"

"We didn't tell Rachel," countered Sam.

Mercedes frowned, knowing that he was right. "True. But I don't like lying to people, Sam. You know I hate being that kind of person."

The woman grew quiet and reflective for a moment, thinking back to how she had reunited with her now-husband in high school and how she had crushed another man in the process. Though she loved her husband dearly, Mercedes had always felt a little guilty for cheating in order to be with him.

Sam took his wife's hand. "You're not that kind of person," he told her, knowing what she was thinking. "You are smart and beautiful and talented and caring...and," he put on a cheesy grin, "you're one of my favorite wives."

Mercedes laughed and slapped him before pulling him into an appreciative kiss…that lasted for about three seconds before they were broken apart by a shrill:

"AUNT LUCY!"

The Evans couple turned to see their daughter run towards and give a giant hug to "Aunt Lucy", otherwise known as Quinn Fabray-Puckerman.

"You know," whispered Sam to his wife, "I still find it weird that we named our only daughter after my ex-girlfriend."

"She was my sister before you dated her, now hush up."

Mercedes gave Sam a playful shove and went to hug her surrogate sister.

"Quinn, it is so good to see you!"

"Oh, you too, 'Cedes!"

Sam smirked. "Hey _Lucy_."

"Your kid is the only one that can call me that, Evans," the blonde joked before giving him a quick hug.

"Where's Puck?" he asked.

"He and Markie and over with Finn," she replied, pointing in their direction. Puck's Mohawk had long been shaved of. His son Mark, or "Markie" as he was often called, was in-between the adult men.

"How _is_ Markie?" asked Mercedes.

"He's doing good. Enjoying senior year. I just wish he'd take those damn spikes out of his hair…but I guess raging high school hair runs in Puck's side of the family."

"What about your Pepto Bismol dye job in senior year?" Sam quipped snarkily.

"Aunt Lucy, you dyed your hair pink!" asked Lucy.

Quinn looked from her namesake to her namesake's father. She deadpanned, "Thanks Sam."

"Wow, they're just like Cameron and A.M.," Lucy noted cryptically.

"Where _is_ Cameron?" Quinn asked. "And the rest of the kids?"

"We sent them to the store to get some last minute things," answered Mercedes. "They should actually be back any minute."

As if on cue, they all heard a resounding voice: "Hey, the Puckermans are here!"

* * *

While most of America assumed that Brittany and Santana were getting married in a secretive location, they were actually doing the whole thing in their backyard. After all, it was the last place that people would expect.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Santana Marie Lopez and Brittany Susan Pierce in matrimony."

The affair, unlike the upcoming reception, was very small and simple. Other than a single floral arch that canvased the future wives, there were no other decorations.

"In the years that they've been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as one."

There were only eight people in the backyard: Santana, Brittany, their respective parents, Anna Maria, and the officiator, Joe Hart.

"Seeing Brittany and Santana together has taught me that love goes beyond gender, race, or any other factors. And to be able to officially bring them together is truly an honor."

The two women briefly smiled at Joe before resuming their smiling at each other.

"Santana and Brittany have written their own vows. Santana?"

Anna Maria, who was standing behind both of her mothers, handed Santana a small index card. The woman glanced at it quickly before speaking.

"Britt…you know more than anyone how hard coming out was for me in high school. I'll admit…I was at my bitchiest." They both laughed a little. "But you were always there for me. Even when you were with Artie, you still cared about me…even if I couldn't quite see it back then."

Santana gulped, emotion already taking over. But she pressed on. "I know that I'm not the easiest person to get along with…but when I'm with you, I feel like I don't have to worry about anyone else's opinions of me. Because at the end of the day…as long as _you're_ happy, I'm happy. Brittany, I love you so much, and I promise to spend the rest of my life proving that to you."

Having read Santana's vows earlier that day, Anna Maria recognized the end of her speech, so she then handed a second index card to Brittany.

"People think that I'm stupid. And I know that I'm not…but every now and then I feel like I am." Brittany started to hold her head down with slight unhappiness when Santana grabbed her chin softly and looked into her eyes. The blonde smiled and continued.

"And when I do, you always make me feel better. Like you just did a second ago." They both chuckled. "You didn't even say anything, and I feel like seventeen times happier. That's why I love you. You're awesome, and I know that you'll always be there for me. You're my best friend."

Tears were now streaming down both of their faces, basking in the moment, when Brittany quickly added: "And you're great in bed. Like _really_ great."

"You too, babe."

* * *

A couple of hours later, the newly married Santana and Brittany Lopez-Pierce entered the grand reception hall to a booming applause, and soon the party was in full swing. Complete with food, photographers, television crews, and a DJ. It seemed that everyone in Ohio (and then some) was in the one room…well, almost everyone.

"Where the hell is Beth!"

It was Anna Maria, the daughter of honor, who had screamed this. She and the rest of the Vocal DynamiX were in one corner of the room. Having been appointed the official wedding planner, the Latina was under enough stress. But their director not being present was just one push too far.

"Our first set is scheduled to start in thirty minutes, and she's not even here!" the girl continued. "Who's gonna lead us now?"

Julia Hummel-Anderson went in front of her. "Honey, please calm down. Everything will be fine."

"The hell it will!" the girl exclaimed. "People are complaining about the damn brisket not being cooked long enough, the damn paparazzi won't stay out of my way, I'm _trying_ to keep Mami's damn promise of not punching anybody, and _now_ the damn glee teacher's a damn no-show!"

"Damn," Cameron sarcastically commented. The Lopez-Pierce girl gave her one of her darkest glares before punching Cameron in the shoulder.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

"Maybe she's just stuck in traffic," Steph said, trying to soothe Anna Maria as Cameron was being soothed by Julia.

Mike Chang walked to the group. "Guys, I just got a call from Beth. She came down with a bad stomach virus this morning. She was gonna try and make it, but she's just too sick to leave."

"Of course she is!"

Cameron, still rubbing his shoulder, turned to Cole. "Dude, calm your hag!"

Cole rolled his eyes, but he went to the girl anyway. "A.M., everything's gonna be okay."

"Don't Cole! Nothing is working out today! I swear I'm gonna bust a freakin' cap in someone's—"

"Chillax Shorty!"

Anna Maria turned around to the source of the deep voice that had spoken to her, and her eyes landed upon the tall, spiky-haired high school senior…and one of the few people that she was intimidated by.

"What the hell do _you_ want, Markie?"

Except today.

"I don't want anything," Mark Puckerman replied, holding his hands up in surrender. "Just trying to relax my girl."

"So _I'm_ your girl this week?" she answered with attitude. "Not Pam or Brenda or Chandra?"

"Puckerman, maybe this isn't the best time to try and get back with your ex-girlfriend," said Cameron.

"What, so _you_ can get back with her instead?" countered Mark.

"Haven't you heard?" answered the biracial boy proudly. "I'm taken now!" He pointed to Julia smugly, keeping his eyes on Puckerman.

"You mean by the girl who's giving Schuester goo-goo eyes?"

Cameron looked at his girlfriend, and indeed, she was staring at college freshman Corbin Schuester with interest.

"Jules!"

"Sorry!" she insisted. "You _know_ I've always had a bit on an unattainable crush on him! It's like one of those tragic love stories from the 1940s!"

"Said the girl to her new boyfriend," whispered Trey to Steph.

"HELLO! Back to me!" screamed the Latina. "On top of all this other garbage, I've got to deal with my stupid no-good ex-boyfriend _and_ a glee club without a director!"

"How about this, A.M.?" intercepted Mike. "I'll take charge of you guys with Beth away. It's not like I haven't lead you before."

"Yeah, A.M.," agreed Steph. "People are having a good time. You don't have anything to worry about."

The girl finally began to relax a little. Whether it was because she was actually relaxed or because she was just too tired to care anymore, no one would ever know.

"So, after this," piped up Mark, "you wanna go make out for old times sake?"

"Okay, somebody get him away from me."

* * *

"Well, hey there, Pretty Boy!"

Cole Hudson literally dropped his cup in the punch bowl. There was no way…it couldn't be _him_…he turned around, and sure enough, Jack stood behind him with a grin.

"J-Jack!"

"Never thought I'd see _you_ again. This is quite a nice surprise."

"What are you even doing here?"

"I was invited," Jack said plainly. "You're jumpier than the last time I saw you. Everything alright?"

"I had my first sexual experience with you after knowing you for only a few hours, and now I have no idea how to talk to you or rationalize any sense of normalcy in my life, even though I still sort of like you, as much it goes against my better judgment," Cole thought.

"Everything's fine," Cole actually said.

"Good," Jack replied. "Cause you know how cute I think you are."

Cole couldn't help but smile, but then it recoiled. "Seriously, though, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I—"

"Hey, glasses! Who the hell are you?"

Cole and Jack turned to see an angrily frantic Anna Maria walking towards them holding a clipboard.

"Beg pardon?" the boy asked.

"I _said_, 'Who the hell are you?'" the girl repeated quickly. "Part of my responsibilities is keeping gate crashers like _you_ out of this _private_ party, and I have no idea who the hell you are. You'd better be on my list."

"Well, let's see." He took the clipboard from the girl without a second thought.

"Oh, I _know_ that boy did not just snatch something from me. He _knows_ my Lima Heights relatives are in this room, right?"

Jack, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and showed her a spot on the paper that rested on her board. "See, I'm right here," he clarified. "Right where it says 'Artie Abrams and Guest.' I'm the 'and Guest.'"

Anna Maria looked at Jack and then turned around to see the wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams, a former member of the New Directions, who was talking to Cole's father.

"Well…you _do_ look like Wheels…I guess you check out. But I've still got my eye on you."

And she left without another word. Cole, meanwhile, was speechless.

"You're _Artie's son!_"

Jack held out his hand. "Jackson Michael Abrams, at your service!"

"Normally, you learn the person's last name before you screw around with them," Cole couldn't help but think to himself.

Instead, he said, "Finn Hudson's my dad, and we see Artie on a semi-regular basis. How didn't we know that you were his son?"

"I asked Dad that on the ride up here," responded Jack. "Apparently, the last time I saw you guys was when we were like three. Every time our parents have met up since, it was without us."

Cole shook his head. "This is so weird."

"Yeah…" Jack trailed off. And then, "So, you wanna go hit up the bathroom right quick?"

"Jack! Are you serious!"

"It's a wedding!" the Abrams boy insisted. "That means love…and _other_ stuff!"

Cole whispered, "We are in public."

"We were in public the last time, too," Jack whispered in Cole's ear. Cole shivered, either out of fear or lust. Jack assumed the latter and continued. "Come on, Cole. Don't act like you don't want it."

"Jack…I don't even know you."

"Again, that didn't stop you last time."

"Well, it should have!"

Jack sighed, pushing up his glasses. "Fair enough, Hudson. I'm not in the business of messing around with dudes against their will…don't get me wrong, I mess around. But it's all totally consensual."

Jack gave an uncharacteristically cheesy grin that caused Cole to actually laugh. What was this boy doing to him?

"Let me show you something, Cole." Jack grabbed Cole's arm and pulled him into a corner of the room where no one could see them. He then took Cole's hand and placed it on the front of his own pants.

"_This_," Jack stated, nodding at the piece of himself that Cole was now literally holding, "is what you do to me. So I'm gonna go to the bathroom. If you're not there in five, I'll handle it myself…but if you show up…"

He paused and pulled Cole into a quick, yet passionate, kiss of lust and desire, Cole's hand never leaving the front of Jack's pants. The saxophonist slowly pulled back and finished his statement. "…then you can do whatever the hell you want to me."

He patted Cole's cheek lightly and left for the restroom. Cole's mind was at war as he slowly left the corner and re-entered the party. Once again, he had a decision to make. Jack Abrams _was_ incredibly attractive…for someone who chose to sport the hipster look. And he was just as charming, if not incredibly forward, almost to the point of pushy. And yet…Cole was entranced by the boy.

Now Cole may not have projected it as obviously as a typical teenager, but the Hudson boy was very curious about sex. And while he and his father _had_ started talking some more…sex was not a topic that he was willing to bring up. As sexually curious as he was, actually vocalizing the fact seemed too awkward for him. Maybe that's why he liked Jack so much…he knew exactly what Cole was thinking.

Or maybe Jack was just a horndog.

And maybe _Cole_ was just a subtler horndog.

"Dude!"

Cole looked ahead as Trey and Cameron walked over to him.

"My dad wants us to meet up in ten minutes. We're gonna start the first set soon," Trey informed him.

"Um…yeah okay," Cole said, his mind clearly on something else. "Hey listen, I've gotta go to the bathroom, so I'll just meet you up there."

He started to leave, but then turned back around to the others. "And…it's a number two; so if I take a while, that's why. I guess that three bean salad didn't agree with me or something."

"Dude, we don't need the play-by-play!" Cameron insisted, covering his ears.

Cole, meanwhile, was already gone.

* * *

"So Shorty, you wanna make out now?"

Anna Maria sighed without even having to look behind her. The Vocal DynamiX had just finished their first set of songs—a combination of Christmas classics and love songs—about five minutes ago, and the group had begun to disperse.

"For the fifth and _final_ time, Markie," grumbled Anna Maria without moving, "hell to the freaking no."

The spiky-haired senior swiftly moved in front of her and pouted. "Why not? Don't you miss me, baby?"

"I miss using you for cheap jokes," the Latina admitted. "But now that Cameron and Julia are dating, my arsenal has gotten a lot larger, so the void's been filled."

She walked over to a table where the rest of her friends were seated, and Mark quickly grabbed a seat next to her. The girl rolled her eyes.

"So, what'd we miss, guys?" Mark asked, ignoring his ex-girlfriend's ire.

"Oh nothing," Steph answered casually. "Just yelling at Cole for missing the first song."

"Once again, Steph," Cole droned, "that three bean salad really got to me. I apologize for my intestines."

"Again Cole," interrupted Cameron, "no play-by-play."

Suddenly, Finn Hudson approached with two other people at his side.

"Hey guys!" he greeted. "You remember Artie Abrams, right? He was in the New Directions with us."

Anna Maria looked curious. "You're the guy that did my mom Brittany, right?"

Artie smiled proudly. "Yes ma'am, I am."

"Dude!" Mark, Cameron, and Trey exclaimed in a very "bro-like" manner.

Julia sighed. "Seriously Cameron?"

"Sorry Jules," her boyfriend smirked. "Maybe you should let Corbin Schuester console you."

"Touché," responded Julia, slapping him playfully before he put his arm around her.

Mark gave Anna Maria a strange look. "Did they just have a fight?"

"I think so," she whispered back. "Camlia is a strange relationship."

"I am _so_ glad that Camlia is catching on!" smiled Julia.

"Anyway," Finn interrupted, "_this_ is Artie's son, Jack. I figured you guys could keep him company."

Trey spoke up. "Aren't you the sax player that Cole had a crus—ouch Steph, why the heck did you punch me!"

Artie looked up at his son. "Kid, you gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, Pop. Go have fun with your Nude Erections."

The second the adults left, Jack bent down to Cole's ear and whispered, "'Cause _we_ sure had fun with ours."

The Abrams boy took a seat beside Cole, who eyes now bulged out nervously. Why did Jack always go for the sexy, yet completely inappropriate, ear whispering?

"Yo Hudson, you alright?" Mark asked.

It took Cole a couple of seconds to recover. "Y-yeah. Jack just told me a dirty joke is all."

"You know Jack," Julia observed, "the rest of the legacies of the New Directions have all kept in touch over the years. How is it that we are just meeting you?"

"Well, my pop said that we did meet before," Jack explained, "but we were all too young to really remember. As to why we haven't seen each other since then…just blame my bitch of a mother."

"Oh yeah, they're getting divorced, right?" asked Cole.

"He knows this dude's family history?" quipped Mark.

"I bet they're doin' it," Anna Maria whispered back jokingly. After all, Cole Hudson would be the last person to sleep with a complete stranger.

"Yeah," said Jack, responding to Cole's question. "Her job makes her travel a lot, so we were always on the go. But now that they're over and done with, me and Pop may be settling down in one spot."

Cole looked a little nervous…Jack wouldn't be "settling down" nearby, would he?

* * *

Eventually, the table of eight people began to break off into separate conversations. Cameron and Julia were discussing next semester's set list, Anna Maria was absentmindedly allowing Mark to speak to her while playing a movie in her head, and even Jack and Cole were having a non-sexually related conversation about Jack's interest in the saxophone.

Steph and Trey, on the other hand, were awkwardly staring at their plates. Ever since the incident at Sectionals with Anna Maria's comment about their "relationship," they had been a bit strained.

"So…," Trey began. "Have you thought about it?"

"About what?"

"You know what. You and me."

"Trey…"

"Just look around, Steph," Trey said. "Everyone's got somebody: Cam's got Julia, and Cole's in love with the creepy hipster dude. And we all know that A.M. still has the hots for Puckerman. You and me are meant to be!"

"Because we're the only ones left? That's not a very valid reason, Trey."

"All I'm saying is that we should at least try it out! I mean, we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot. We're already great friends."

"And what if dating screws us up?" commented Steph. "You're right. This year, you and I have grown a lot closer as friends. If we date and break up, everything's just gonna be so awkward for all of us!"

"Julia and Cameron are taking the risk. Why don't we?"

"I don't know—"

"Just one date. If you don't like it, we can pretend it never happened. What do you say?"

The Hudson girl let out a nervous breath. She then looked at Trey's hopeful eyes and couldn't help but notice that he _did_ look sweet asking her out so suddenly.

"One date," Steph repeated. "And if even one of us agrees that it's too weird, then we stop."

"Cool beans."

They both sighed with feelings of relief and anxiousness at the same time, when suddenly…

"Congratulations!"

Steph and Trey jumped in shock at Julia, who had screamed out.

"I am so happy for you two!" she continued. "Cam, we can double date now!"

Trey started to stutter. "Wha—what just—"

"Dude, we all just totally heard you ask her out," Mark laughed. "So lame man!"

"At least _Trey's_ girl said yes," Anna Maria burned. The Puckerman boy shrunk into his seat embarrassedly.

Trey leaned over to Cameron. "Seriously though, how much did you hear?"

"Everything after she started looking into your eyes," smiled Cameron. "And you should know that I only take Jules to the finest places, so if you're trying to double, start saving up."

Trey turned back to Steph. "You weren't trying to keep this a secret, were you?"

Steph shrugged. "It would have only been a matter of time anyway. We're the New Directions' kids. Gossip is in our blood."

Trey laughed. "So where do you want to go on our first date, then?"

"Hold on Romeo," Cole growled, already in overprotective brother mode, "Just know that I _will_ kick your ass if you screw her over."

A whisper. "You are so cute when you're angry."

"Damn it, Jack!"

* * *

Towards the end of the night, the Vocal DynamiX were standing at the front of the room one final time. At the microphone was Mike Chang.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Mike announced softly, "leading the Vocal DynamiX in their final song of the night is Miss Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce."

The crowd applauded and Santana and Brittany smiled brightly as their daughter took Mike's place in front of the piano. Then, the pianist began to play a very familiar tune.

**_ANNA MARIA:_**

**_For you, there'll be no more crying._**

**_For you, the sun will be shining._**

**_And I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright._**

**_I know it's right._**

**_(The Vocal DynamiX behind her begin harmonizing vocals as Anna Maria continues lead and do so through the rest of the song.)_**

**_To you, I'll give the world._**

**_To you, I'll never be cold._**

**'_Cause I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright._**

**_I know it's right._**

**_And the songbirds are singing like they know the score…_**

**_And I love you, I love you, I love you…like never before…_**

**_(Forgetting all of her troubles and stresses over the evening, Anna Maria's focus was now solely on her two mothers, who were beaming at her.)_**

**_And I wish you all the love in the world._**

**_But most of all, I wish it from myself._**

**_And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score…_**

**_And I love you, I love you, I love you…like never before…_**

**_Like never before…_**

**_Like never before…_**

The lucid piano tones slowly faded out, and the room began to cheer loudly for the Latina, who was now going to hug her teary-eyed mothers. In their eyes, there had never been a more beautiful tribute.

Taking advantage of the audience's distraction, Steph turned to Trey. "So, I guess this is your last performance with Vocal DynamiX, huh?"

Trey gave a mysterious look. "I'm not too sure…I'll let you know when school starts up again."

Before she could question him, however, Cameron's voice rang through the microphone. Julia was right beside him as he spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Cameron Evans, and I'm one of the captains of Vocal DynamiX. Next to me is the lovely, talented, beautiful, funny, charming, sweet, confident, sophisticated, brilliant, fierce—"

Anna Maria screamed from her spot beside her mothers, "Wrap it up, Trouty Mouth!"

As the audience laughed and Cameron's face presented a combination of anger and embarrassment, his girlfriend took the microphone from him.

"And I'm Juila Hummel-Anderson, the other captain," she finished for him. "And on behalf of the Vocal DynamiX, we'd like to thank Senator and Mrs. Lopez-Pierce for allowing us to perform at their wedding reception, and we wish their entire family the best of luck for the future."

The room applauded one final time, now turning to the Lopez-Pierces. When the silence ended, Cameron took the microphone and continued their scripted thank-you speech.

"We'd also like to thank the director of our glee club, who unfortunately couldn't make it tonight, Ms. Beth Corcoran."

Julia and Cameron may or may not have continued thanking people, but Quinn Fabray-Puckerman would not have had any idea. Did he really say "Beth Corcoran?" It was probably a coincidence…she was probably just overreacting. Quinn turned to her husband, and he looked just as concerned as she did. They were clearly thinking the same thing. Was it her?

Quinn began to look around the room at all of her friends. Most of them were either looking at their desserts or at the children at the front of the room. She noticed, however, that Rachel and Mercedes, who were sitting beside each other, had similar looks of worry. Rachel spotted the blonde woman staring at them and seemed to silently alert Mercedes that they were being watched. When the two women looked at her, Quinn knew.

* * *

Hooray for cliffhangers!

I had fun writing this one. A lot of this was difficult to piece together, specifically the Brittana wedding and the Jack/Cole scenes. By the way, if you guys notice any plot inconsistencies or anything weird, please let me know. While I promise that nothing is over once more, I could have easily missed something.

I'm gonna start posting some interludes soon. Just some general mini-chapters to tie you guys over while I piece together the actual story from here. Unfortunately, I can't promise when the next _real_ chapter will be up, but I'm looking forward to writing it and seeing what you all think!

And if anybody has a Tumblr, follow me! I'm TC-Harper. See you when I see you! (and Merry-Not-Really-Christmas!)

FEATURED SONG:

"Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac

**In the Upcoming Interlude: Set after "I'm Coming Out" - After talking to Cole, Finn Hudson seeks wisdom from a reliable source.**


	11. Interlude: Father Knows Best

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: "Hell to the no!" - the response I got after asking Mercedes if I owned Glee

**A/N: Here's the first of my interludes. Featuring one of the best TV fathers of the twenty-first century. This is set after "I'm Coming Out."**

Interlude – Father Knows Best

Even with the political clout he had gained over the years, Hummel Tires and Lube would always be in special regard to one Burt Hummel. After a minor health scare after the birth of his youngest granddaughter, Burt resigned from his congressional seat and returned to his auto shop. It was currently early November, and the aged man was currently filling out some paperwork in his office when one of his employees entered.

"Hey Burt, you've got a visitor. Wants to talk to you."

"Who is it, Kenny?" Burt replied, not really in the mood for visitors.

The employee, Kenny, stuck his head out for a second and then stuck it right back in. "Says he's your step-son, Fenn?"

"Finn," Burt corrected, his mood suddenly lifted. "Send him on in."

Kenny left the doorframe and was replaced a few seconds later with Finn Hudson.

"Hey Burt," Finn greeted softly with a smile.

"Finn!" Burt stood up and gave the man a hug. "This is a surprise!"

"Yeah," he responded. "How've you been?"

"Everything's fine. Can't complain," his stepfather answered. "So to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, I just wanted to take you to lunch is all."

Burt was smarter than that. Clearly something was up. After all, why else would Finn randomly pop up in Lima to have lunch? But then again…it _was_ Finn. Either way, Burt ignored his intuition, figuring that the tall man would fess up on his own.

"Sure bud, let's go now," Burt replied. "Did you want to call your mom? We can probably snag her from the hospital real quick."

"No," Finn answered quickly. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Alone."

"Everything alright? Rachel, the twins?" asked Burt, a little worried.

"Yeah, everything's fine!" Finn recanted immediately. The last thing he wanted to do was send Burt into _another_ heart attack. "I just need your advice."

* * *

"I'll get the broiled fish plate," Finn said to the waitress. He and Burt were now at Breadstix, on Finn's request, as it had been over a year since the man had last eaten there.

"And I'll have the steak plate, well done, with extra butter."

Finn frowned at Burt before interrupting the waitress's writing. "Actually, he'll _also_ have the broiled fish."

"Come on, Finn!"

"No Dad," Finn asserted.

While Burt loved his two sons dearly and appreciated the fact that they were only looking out for him, the whole healthy food kick was getting old fast. Eventually, the waitress left and a slightly upset Burt looked at his stepson expectantly.

"So aside from ruining my meal, what have you been up to bud? You said you needed to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah…but forget about me," stammered Finn. "How are you and Mom?"

Burt silently read Finn's mind and had an idea of what Finn wanted to bring up. He decided to ease him into the conversation.

"Well…" Burt began after thinking for a minute, "your mom set up that Skoping thing on my computer a couple nights ago."

"Skop—I think you mean Skype, Burt."

"Whatever," Burt waved off. "So your mom got it set up and that son of yours was the first person to call us."

"Really?" Finn asked, trying to be as casual as possible.

Burt nodded. "Yeah…he told us, Finn. We know he's gay."

Finn sighed in relief. While he _did_ want to talk to Burt about Cole, he didn't want to be the one to out Cole to his grandfather.

"When I said I was surprised to see you," Burt continued, "it was a _bit_ of a lie. I figured you'd want to talk about it eventually."

"It's not that Cole's being gay is upsetting or anything," Finn stated clearly. "It was just so out of the blue to me."

"Really?" Burt replied, a little shocked. "I wasn't all that surprised. But I guess with raising Kurt, I just noticed some similarities."

Finn looked confused. "But Dad, Cole's not really…flamboyant like Kurt."

"Not like that," Burt clarified. "It was little things. Like last Christmas. Remember, you all came down here to Lima?"

Finn nodded in reminiscence as his stepfather continued. "I asked him if he had a girlfriend, and he got real quiet and kind of avoided the question."

"I remember that," Finn thought aloud. "I just thought it was because he's so shy."

"I think that was part of it," Burt mused. "But I looked in his eyes and it reminded me so much of Kurt before he came out. Really afraid and nervous. Like he wouldn't get approval or something. I would have said something then, but it wasn't my place."

Burt noticed that his stepson now had an expression of anger and sadness mixed into one. Finn answered his question before Burt even asked it. "Even _you_ knew, Burt! _Everybody_ knew about this but me! You see them like five times a year, and you knew. I see Cole every day and nothing!"

"Finn—"

"You know, I talked to Rachel that night. Apparently, she's had some suspicions for like two years! Chalked it up to mother's intuition. Dad, it just really sucks that I don't even know my son well enough."

Finn remained silent, staring at the table. Across from him, Burt seemed to be in thought. After a moment, the father spoke.

"So you're not here to see me for help on raising a _gay_ son," Burt realized. "You just want advice on parenthood altogether."

Finn looked up, embarrassed to even have this problem. "Yeah, I guess so," he replied softly. "I just feel like I'm too late. I'm really afraid that I'll never be able to be close with him now."

Burt smiled knowingly. "You realize that _you_ were Cole's age around the time your mother and I started dating, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Look at us, kid!" Burt continued. "_You_ are coming to _me_ for parenting advice. Here's your advice, son: you're not too late."

"But Dad—"

"Let me ask you something, Finn," he interrupted. "Be honest. How do you see me?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you see me?" he repeated. "When you look at me, what do you see?"

After a beat of silence, Finn gave a small smile. "I see my dad."

"And you know how I know that?" Finn gave him the go-ahead to continue. "Because in the past five minutes, you called me Dad four times. You've never called me Dad before."

Finn's sheepish smile grew a little bigger. "I didn't even realize that. It just…felt natural, I guess."

"And it'll be like that with you and your kid, too," Burt assured. "Don't freak out, and don't force anything, because that'll just piss him off and drive him away. Just let it develop naturally…like you and me."

A much calmer Finn smiled once more. "Thanks."

* * *

That evening, Finn entered his home to the sounds of the piano coming from the den. Seeing Steph on the phone with Julia in the living room and knowing that Rachel was out late at play rehearsals, he knew it must have been Cole.

After waving hello to his daughter, Finn made his way down the stairs into the den, which had previously been the basement. As he approached the bottom, he heard a loud banging of all eighty-eight keys at once, coupled with a loud groan of frustration.

"Easy with that thing, son."

Cole Hudson turned around and saw his father entering. "Sorry Dad. How's Grandpa Burt?"

"Doing good, he sends his love," Finn answered. "Everything alright?"

Cole sighed. "I've been trying to get this stupid song for the past hour, and I just can't get it right!"

"I didn't know you played piano," said Finn, sitting next to his son on the piano bench, Cole at his right.

"I don't really," he answered. "Just a couple of songs. But clearly not _this_ one."

"Want some help?"

"Sure." Cole turned to the first page of the sheet music, and Finn grinned at the title.

"'Don't Stop Believin'?"

"Yeah," Cole smiled bashfully. "I was watching some of your old tapes today, and I kinda liked that song. So I got the sheet music from the Internet."

"Cool," replied Cole' father. "How about I take the bottom line, and you get the top?"

"Okay."

And for a few minutes, they silently played the piano together, Finn taking the bass line, and Cole handling the upper motives. When Finn figured that they were comfortable enough with playing, he decided to add some lyrics.

**_FINN:_**

**_Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world._**

**_She took the midnight train goin' anywhere._**

Finn looked to his son to sing the next line without stopping the piano playing.

Cole scoffed. "I'll pass, Dad."

"Come on!" Finn egged on. "I've never actually heard you sing before."

Sighing, Cole responded. "Fine." And when the music got to the right moment, Cole took over.

**_COLE:_**

**_Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit._**

**_He took the midnight train goin' anywhere._**

**_FINN:  
_**

**_A singer in a smoky room._**

**_COLE:_**

**_Smell of wine and cheap perfume._**

**_BOTH:_**

**_For a smile, they can share the night._**

**_It goes on and on and on and on!_**

**_Strangers, waiting, up and down the boulevard,_**

**_Their shadows, searching in the night._**

**_Streetlights, people, living just to find emotion _**

_**Hiding, somewhere in the night!**  
_

As they continued on, neither noticed Rachel Berry Hudson standing in the doorframe.

"Looks like that visit to Burt did the trick," she stated softly before leaving. The last thing she wanted to do was intrude on their father-son moment.

* * *

One down. However many it takes until I have the rest of the actual story set up to go!

Hope you enjoyed this one. Just a little drabble with everyone's favorite dad, Burt Hummel.

FEATURED SONG:

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey

**In the Next Interlude: Set after "We Are Family" - Now that Cameron has finally "grown a pair", will he be able to keep it together on his first date with Julia?**


	12. Interlude: First Date

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: "Hell to the no!" - the response I got after asking Mercedes if I owned Glee

**A/N: Happy 4th of July! Unless you're not American...in that case, Happy It's-Just-A-Regular-Day-For-You-Guys! Here's my next interlude; it's set after "We Are Family."**

Interlude – First Date

To say that Cameron Evans was a little nervous would be an understatement. After all, in exactly one hour, he was expected to be on his first date with the girl of his dreams, Julia Hummel-Anderson. Truth be told, he had always liked her, but he never had the courage to do anything about it. Good thing Julia suggested that he "grow a pair" only two days before.

At the moment, Cameron was standing in the mirror of the bathroom with the door open. He was fumbling with his shirt collar when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Aw! Is wittle Camwon newvous about his date with Juwia?"

Cameron sharply turned his head to the doorframe to see his sister.

"Go away, Lucy!" he screamed in a surprisingly higher pitch.

"Oh my God, you _are_ nervous!" Lucy squealed at his girlish tone. "Oh Cameron!"

"Dad!"

Sam Evans, who conveniently enough, was walking by, poked his head in. "Luce, don't you need to get over to the Changs' house?"

"Okay Daddy," Lucy sighed. She then turned to her brother. "So, is there anything you want me to tell your ex-boyfriend when I get to his house?"

"Lucy, go!"

The girl smiled sweetly. "Yes sir." Giving her father a kiss on the cheek and sticking her tongue out at Cameron, the girl skipped off. As she left, Sam noticed that Cameron's nervous mood from a moment ago had now turned a little somber over Lucy's mention of Trey.

"Okay bud," he started, "do you want the 'you-and-Trey-are-gonna-be-fine' talk or the 'you're-about-to-go-out-with-your-dream-girl' talk?"

Cameron chuckled. "The latter. I'd rather not get bummed out tonight."

"Fair enough." Sam stood behind his son and fixed his shirt collar for him. As he did so, Cameron spoke up.

"So do you and Mom and Kurt and Blaine _really_ have to come with us tonight?" he bemoaned.

"If it were up to me and Blaine, no," Sam started. "But when your mother withholds sex and your Uncle Kurt threatens to throw all of your Uncle Blaine's hair gel down the garbage disposal, it stops being up to us and starts being up to them."

"Well, if I agree to get Uncle Blaine some hair gel and buy you enough time to look at some porn, _then_ do you guys have to come tonight?"

"…How much time?"

"Really!"

"No!"

Cameron deflated. Sam smiled and stood back from his son to observe him. The boy was wearing a dark blue blazer with a light blue shirt underneath it and khakis.

"W-what do you think, Dad?" the boy asked, his nervousness back. "Is this too dressy? Or too casual? Do I need to change into something else? I don't want to upstage her! But I don't want to look like I just got of a garbage can or something! And should I get some hair gel? You know how hard it is to keep my curls down, but Julia's dad keeps _his_ curls down, so maybe I should too, out of respect or something…oh God, what if her dads hate me! Sure they've known me for years, but never as the guy who's dating their daughter! Seriously Dad, where's the hair gel!"

Sam put his hands up to relax his son. "Tam tam, 'itan. Frawzo!"*

"Irayo, sempul. Nga lu nawmtu,"* Cameron responded, now a little calmer. "Why does Na'vi _always_ work?"

"Because James Cameron is amazing," Sam responded smugly. "That's why I named you after him."

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all," his son deadpanned.

"Sure isn't," Sam smiled. "Now let's take another look at you." Sam went silent to look at his nervous son once more. "Your hair is fine, but your outfit…it's missing something…wait! Follow me!"

And Cameron did so, right into his parents' bedroom. Sam then opened his top drawer and began to dig through it.

"You're not about to give me condoms, are you?"

Sam's face grew serious as he took his head out of the drawer. "Do we need to have a _different _talk?"

"No sir, the first one was scaring enough."

"Okay then." Sam's head returned to the drawer for a few seconds and then he closed it, now holding a long piece of braided leather bonded together with a decorated metal clasp.

Cameron looked quite confused. "Okay…when I don't understand what you're doing, it's either something old, something geeky, or something Southern. So where does _this_ apply?"

"Something old and something Southern," Sam responded. "This is called a bolo tie. But it's not just any tie."

"It's the first tie ever made?"

Sam slapped him in the back of the head and then went to put the tie around Cameron's neck. "I wore this tie on my first date with your mom…well, actually it wasn't really a date, more like a group outing with your mom, Aunt Rachel, and Jesse St. Dumbass."

"Who?"

"Never mind," he grumbled. "My point is that I wore this tie on the night that I realized just how incredible your mom is. I know that you're crazy about Jules, so I thought you'd maybe like to wear it tonight."

The tie was now on and fastened, and the two Evans men looked in the mirror. Cameron smiled softly. "Thanks Dad."

"And one more thing," Sam added. "You're gonna have to put up with me, your mom, and Klaine a lot tonight, so…" Sam pulled out a set of car keys.

"You're letting me drive the Corvette!"

"Just for tonight!" Sam quickly made clear. "Your mom and I will meet you at the restaurant."

"Nga lu swey, sempul."*

"Ohe omum."*

* * *

"Okay…here goes."

Cameron took one more nervous sigh before shakily ringing the doorbell of the Hummel-Anderson home. After a few seconds, Blaine opened the door. He was already dressed for the evening, but his face looked very stern.

"H-hi-hi U-uncle Blaine…"

"Cameron."

"I-I'm here…to-to get—"

"Julia. Otherwise known as my daughter," Blaine finished for him. He looked very unhappy, almost angry. Cameron had never seen this side of him before. "Young man, you should realize that as Julia's father—"

"Cam, you're here!"

Blaine looked behind him to find his husband Kurt running to the door.

"Oh my God, you look like a cowboy," Kurt bemoaned sadly. "Why are you wearing that _thing_ around your neck?"

"It's my dad's," Cameron responded bashfully, playing with the bolo tie. "I kinda like it."

"Kurt!" Blaine whined. "You ruined my mean dad speech! I've been preparing for an hour now!"

"Honey, I'm sorry," Kurt replied with mock interest. "Now, move. I need pictures."

Seeing Cameron's subtle expression of annoyance, Blaine spoke up. "Honey, why don't you go check on Julia? Didn't you want to…give her something?"

"Oh I almost forgot!" remembered Kurt. "I'll get your pictures later, don't forget!"

Kurt ran up the stairs without another word, and Cameron sighed in relief as he and Blaine took seats in the living room. He'd take overprotective Blaine over clingy Kurt any day.

"So Cameron…what are your intentions with my daughter?"

Or so he thought.

"Uh…well, I—"

"Relax, Cam. I'm kidding!" Blaine laughed.

"You guys aren't gonna make this easy on me, are you?"

"Don't worry," the man replied. "Your dad and I have already agreed to keep Kurt and Mercedes at bay."

"Thanks…and I just want to say that…I-I really like Julia. She's incredible, and I'll do everything I can to not hurt her."

"Save it for when you get engaged, Cam," Blaine joked, but then his tune suddenly changed. "But don't get engaged in high school."

"Deal."

"Hey listen," Blaine added, a little softer now, "from one naturally curly guy to another…did you want to borrow some of my hair gel for tonight?"

* * *

"Honey, are you almost ready?"

Julia, clad in a lavender sundress with matching jewelry and shoes, turned around to her father.

"Almost, Papa Kurt," she answered, a little timidly.

"Are you okay?"

"Admittedly, I am a little nervous…or perhaps anxious is the better word…I feel nervous and excited at the same time. Does that make any sense?"

Her father laughed a little. "You'll be fine, dear. And I wanted to give you something before you left."

Kurt presented his daughter with a small jewelry box. The blonde opened the box and smiled at the lavender hair barrette that was inside. Inscribed on it, in purple writing, was a cursive letter E.

"This belonged to my mother," Kurt remembered. "It matches your ensemble anyway, so I figured that you may want to wear it on your first date."

Julia wrapped her arms around the man. "Thank you, Papa!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Blaine met up with Kurt as he reached the bottom of the steps in the foyer.

"What took you?" asked Blaine. "It takes ten minutes to give someone a barrette?"

"Well excuse me for having a sentimental moment with my only daughter…on her first date…with my best friend's son…"

"Kurt…you promised that you and Mercedes would behave," Blaine warned.

"So where's Cameron?"

"Bathroom," his husband answered, ignoring the fact that Kurt was changing the subject. "He wanted to borrow some of my hair gel."

"So Cameron Evans," began Kurt suspiciously, "who has been proudly sporting his curly biracial afro for sixteen years, has suddenly decided to gel it down? Why, I wonder how he came to this decision…hmm…"

It was Blaine's turn to change the subject. "Where's Julia?"

"Right here, Daddy."

The Hummel-Anderson fathers looked at the top of the staircase to find their daughter standing with a smile.

A voice rang out. "Okay, Uncle Blaine, I think I've finally got this gel thing figured out!"

A newly hair gelled Cameron met up with everyone else and soon stopped dead in his tracks seeing his date standing at the top of the stairs. "You look…amazing. Like…beyond amazing. Fantastic. B-beautiful. Breatht—"

"Thank you, Cam," Julia smiled, walking down the stairs. Her eyes never left his.

"Blaine, if you don't let me get my camera right now, I'm divorcing you."

"Deal."

Kurt and Blaine scurried away as Julia finally reached Cameron. "You look very nice, too. I've…never seen your hair like that before."

Cameron nervously touched his gelled back hair. "Do you not like it? I'm sorry. I—your dad thought that you'd like it…I just—oh I am such an idiot!"

"Cameron!" Julia took his hand. "You look great either way; it's just different, is all. I'm comfortable with whatever you are comfortable with."

As Kurt and Blaine entered, each with a camera, Cameron answered his date. "Then, in that case, would you mind giving me a few minutes to wash this junk out?"

* * *

"Oh my God! There they are!"

"Mercedes…"

The woman slapped her husband's arm as they stood outside of the fancy restaurant. Seeing Sam's Corvette with Kurt's Navigator close behind was sending Mercedes into an excited frenzy.

"Honey, this is Cameron's first date. It's bad enough that you and Kurt are basically making us _chaperone_ it, but could you please tone it down a _bit_…for _Cam's_ sake?"

His wife sighed very reluctantly as Kurt, Blaine, Julia, and Cameron approached. "Fine…but you owe me."

"Okay…how do I owe you?"

She smirked. "You know how."

"Baby!"

As he pulled Mercedes into a kiss, Cameron rolled his eyes. "Great…my parents are making out in public again…"

Hearing her son's voice, Mercedes stopped the kiss and, completely forgetting her promise to her husband, pushed Sam aside to advance to Julia.

"Julia, you look fantastic!"

"Thank you, Aunt Mercedes," Julia replied politely.

Cameron glared at his father. "Dad!"

"Don't worry, Cameron," interrupted Blaine, leaving Kurt and Mercedes with Julia. "I have a back-up plan." The man turned to the others. "Everyone ready?"

"Definitely!"

"I've been ready for sixteen years, white boy."

The six made their way inside the nice building, and Blaine walked up to the maître d' at the podium.

"Welcome to Bonne Nourriture," he greeted. "Would you like to make a reservation?"

"I called earlier, actually," Blaine stated politely. "Under the name Blaine Hummel-Anderson."

The man looked in his book before putting on a worried expression. "Oh my…sir, there appears to be _two_ reservations for a Blaine Hummel-Anderson, a table for four near the bar and a table for two on the opposite end of the restaurant. Which reservation is yours?"

"Both," the man answered.

"Great idea, Blaine!" Kurt announced. "You and Sam can take the table for two and leave me and Mercedes with the kids! After all, you'd just be a distraction."

"Actually," suggested Sam, "I think that Blaine intended for Julia and Cameron to take the table for two."

"Excuse me?" Mercedes questioned, displaying a very angry face.

The maître d' interrupted. "The table for two is ready, Mr. Hummel-Anderson, but if you want, we can have a table for six ready in about fifteen min—"

"No," interjected Blaine before his husband or Mercedes could speak. He then forwarded to his daughter and Cameron. "They'll be taking the table for two."

"Right this way, then."

Cameron and Julia displayed silent thank you's to Blaine and Sam as they were taken away to their private table. The two men seemed very pleased…until their spouses hit them in the backs of their heads.

"Kurt!"

"What the hell, Mercedes? It was _his_ idea!"

"You went along with it!"

"Of course I went along with it!" Sam exclaimed. "Would you two look at yourselves? You're trying to crash a date between two teenagers! How would you feel if your parents tried to do that to you?"

"Petrified beyond reason," Kurt muttered. "But only because my father would walk into a place like this wearing plaid…and by the way, Sam, a bolo tie? Seriously?"

Mercedes put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "They're right, Kurtie. We gotta back off."

"I guess you're right."

"See?" Blaine smiled. "Isn't it better when you two don't meddle?"

Kurt donned a smirk. "Said the guy who tried to gel Cameron's hair."

* * *

Perhaps if Kurt and Mercedes _had_ been with them, the first few minutes of the official date wouldn't have been as awkward. However, by the time their drinks arrived and their orders were taken, Julia and Cameron had said very few words to each other.

The blonde girl decided to break the silence. "So why aren't we saying anything?"

"I'm sorry."

She laughed. "Cameron, you have nothing to be sorry for, silly!"

The boy nervously chuckled a response. "Right…just a little nervous, I guess."

"Don't be," she replied softly. "Remember, grow a pair."

"Right," Cameron smiled, now with more confidence in himself. "So where do we begin?"

"Let's start by…discussing our lives."

"Ladies first."

"Thank you," began Julia. "Well, I talked to Steph a few hours ago. I think they should be arriving back in Cincinnati right about now."

"That's good."

"She said that they had a great time, _and_ she and Cole both made amends with Trey…"

Julia trailed off, realizing that she was treading in unchartered waters. Cameron and Trey were still on the outs ever since their fight at Tappin' Toes.

"I'm sorry, Cameron," the girl apologized. "I…I completely forgot about—"

"It's okay, Jules," he answered. "You know, you were right about what you said at Thanksgiving. Our fight is getting a little stupid."

"Then why is it still going on?"

Cameron looked down sadly. "I don't know…I mean, Trey and I have been friends for sixteen years…well, fifteen, he _is_ the youngest of the six of us. Which makes sense; he's so damn immature. Seriously, who does he think—"

"Cam, you're rambling," Julia politely interrupted.

"Sorry," he apologized before resuming his previous point. "But to be honest, I'm still a little bit mad at him about everything. He said some really harsh things back there!"

"Yes he did, but so did you," the girl countered. "Why don't you just talk to him about all of this?"

"It's a guy thing; you wouldn't understand."

Julia frowned. "Before I accuse you of being a sexist pig, I'll give you the opportunity to elaborate on your point."

"Thanks," Cameron smiled gratefully. "You see, it's easier for girls to talk about emotions and crap. Guys are raised to be tough and strong. Feelings take a backseat."

"That may be true with some men," his date started, "but not you. After all, if _you_ had let your 'feelings take a backseat', as you so eloquently put it, we wouldn't be on this date."

"The only reason we're on this date is because you grew the balls that I apparently don't even have," Cameron smiled. "You made the first move, remember? That goes back to the whole 'You're braver than me' thing."

"You're better than you think you are, Cameron Evans. You are a remarkable person. Honestly, I've never understood why you have always been so insecure about yourself. You're kind and funny, and you always come to my defense when I need you."

"And _you_ always know how to make me feel good about myself," Cameron responded with a smile.

"Whatever is keeping you from making up with Trey, I _do_ hope that you can overcome it. Your friendship is too precious."

"I agree," Cameron answered with a nod. "To be honest, I really want to make things right with him. I _do_ feel bad about the things I said to him. I mean, he was hurting really bad with his dad and everything…"

Cameron held his head down guiltily, and Julia took one of his hands.

"You and Trey will be fine, Cameron. I'm sure of it."

"There you go again," the boy quipped, "making me feel all good about myself."

"What can I say?" Julia joked. "I'm one of a kind."

"That you are."

This was said under Cameron's breath, and Julia wasn't supposed to hear it. But she did anyway and a bashful grin appeared on her face as Cameron blushed with a smile, realizing that she had heard him.

And the awkwardness was clearly gone.

* * *

At the night's end, Cameron was walking Julia to her front door…and taking as long of a time as possible getting there. The night was going perfectly, and he didn't want it to end.

"Julia, I had a great time tonight."

"So did I, Cameron," she answered with a smile. "And thank you for asking me."

"Well, thank _you_ for giving me the balls I needed to do so."

They both laughed, and almost seamlessly, Cameron slipped his hand into Julia's as they continued walking.

"I _do_ want to apologize about the whole Trey thing, though," the boy added. "I didn't mean to dump all of that on you."

"Don't apologize for being honest with your feelings," Julia responded. "It is my belief that honesty is always best."

Cameron smirked. "What if I _honestly_ told you that I wanted to kill you?"

"Then I would _honestly_ scream for help, and my daddies would kill you," she told him. "Well…unless the moisturizing routine has already commenced for the evening. In _that_ case, my _Daddy Blaine_ would kill you while my Papa Kurt cheered him on from the safety of the indoors. Night air does horrors to his skin."

Cameron let out a big laugh as the two finally approached the porch. Suddenly, everything went silent. The date was almost officially over. The guy had walked the girl to her door, and she was about to go inside. It was the moment of truth.

The boy coughed nervously before deciding to bite the bullet. "Julia, I know that in this day and age, literally _nobody_ would ever think to do this. But I'm the son of a Southern gentleman, so I'm naturally inclined to ask…Can I…could I…kiss you goodnight?"

Julia let out the widest grin that she had ever grinned, and she silently nodded.

It may have been a little strategically awkward. Their hands may not have exactly been in the correct places. But to the two people involved, it was perfect.

When they separated, the blonde girl looked as if she were about to speak, but Cameron, eyes still closed, suddenly blurted out, "Julia, will you be my girlfriend?"

She was taken aback. "What?"

"I'm-I'm sorry. That's not exactly how I wanted to ask you…" He trailed off with embarrassment.

"Go ahead, Cameron," Julia pursued. "Remember what we talked about tonight? Being honest with yourself. And, if nothing else, growing a pair."

"I still can't get used to you saying stuff like that," Cameron laughed.

Julia smirked. "Weren't you going to ask me something?"

"Right…I know that this is our first date, but I've liked you for a really long time. You're amazing and awesome and inspiring and…okay there's more, but I'm like really embarrassed and nervous right now."

Julia laughed, but not out of spite. Taking this as a good sign, Cameron continued. "I'd really be honored to be your boyfriend. Wow that was cheesy. I am so lame. I cannot believe I actually said that out loud. Seriously, what a cliché thing to say; it's like we're on one of those romantic comedy movies. There's no way you'd ever—"

"Did you know that you ramble when you get nervous?"

Cameron stopped talking. "…I do?"

"Yes," Julia continued. "Nervous and angry, actually. It's very cute, I have to admit. And as to your question, my answer is yes. I'd be just as _honored_ to be your girlfriend."

"That's…really cool," Cameron chuckled. "So I…guess I'll see you at school?"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"And maybe, if you're not busy tomorrow afternoon, we can like…go grab a coffee or something? People still do that right?"

"Well, if they don't, we can bring it back."

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled.

They looked at each other with a comfortable silence before Cameron spoke once more.

"Can I kiss you goodnight again?" he asked, this time a little more comfortably.

"Only if you promise to stop asking. As my boyfriend, you have full permission."

"Deal."

And their second kiss was just as spectacular as the first.

"See you tomorrow?" Julia asked after she pulled away.

"Vaykrr trray, tìlor."

"What does that mean?"

"Loosely," he answered, "it means 'Until tomorrow, my beauty.'"

Julia smiled. "Good night…boyfriend."

She gave him another quick kiss, and soon Cameron slowly left. She didn't move from her spot on the porch until he waved goodbye and drove away, her thoughts only on the incredible evening they had shared. Eventually, the girl turned around and right before she entered the house, a large shuffling sound was heard.

"Daddies? Is everything okay?" Julia questioned as she walked in.

Going into the kitchen, the girl found her two fathers seated at the table. Kurt was rapidly talking on the telephone, having not noticed Julia's entrance.

"It was _so_ romantic, Mercedes! And then after they kissed the _second_ time, he started speaking Na'vi to her! It was beautiful! But, please make sure that Cameron doesn't give his wedding vows in Na'vi, though. It wouldn't make sen—" Blaine tapped Kurt on the shoulder and silently forwarded to their daughter. Both Blaine and Julia had smug expressions, and Kurt looked embarrassed. "Gotta go, 'Cedes."

"So Julia, how was your night?" asked Blaine as his husband hung up the phone.

"Why don't you ask Papa Kurt?"

"Honey, I'm sorry," Kurt answered, walking over to her. "I couldn't resist. Did you have a good time, though?"

Julia Hummel-Anderson beamed joyfully. "It was magical."

* * *

Okay, this is like twice as long as I expected it to be. Oh well!

So I've realized that writing stuff isn't as easy as I'd like it to be. I'm in the middle of the first _real_ chapter now, and it's taking a LOT of rewriting to straighten it out. But anyway, hope you liked this one!

Na'vi Translation

"There there, son. All is well."

"Thanks, Dad. You are (a) great person."

"You are (the) best, Dad."

"I know."

**In the Next Interlude: Set after "Bein' Green" - With their children still reeling from Hank Swanson's comments, Sam, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike sit them down for a talk.**


	13. Interlude: A Change is Gonna Come

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I own all eight seasons of The Cosby Show on DVD. This has nothing to do with Glee, but I decided to share that with you. And by the way, Glee is not mine, nor has it ever been.

**A/N: Posting at a random time! This chapter takes place after "Bein' Green" and slightly during "When You Wish Upon a Star." Hit me up with a PM if that confuses you. Language warnings apply for this chapter.**

Interlude – A Change is Gonna Come

Mercedes Evans and Mike Chang were standing outside of the Lopez-Pierce home staring at their conversing sons in the parked SUV.

"What are we supposed to say to them, Mercedes?"

"I don't know," the woman answered. "I don't even know the full story."

"Yeah, Steph didn't even want to repeat what happened."

The adults remained silent, uncomfortably thinking of the words that Steph Hudson would not want to say out loud.

"I think they see us," Mike acknowledged, pointing to the Escalade. "They're coming out."

"It looks like we're on, then."

Trey and Cameron slowly walked up to them, and Mike and Mercedes met the teens halfway, all now standing between the street and the porch.

"Hey guys," Mike began softly.

"Hey Mom, Uncle Mike," Cameron greeted cheerfully. "What's new with you?"

Clearly Cameron was trying to diffuse the situation, but his mother would have none of it. "Knock it off, Cameron James. Don't play this off as a joke."

Cameron nodded. "Yes ma'am."

As the four made their way back to the house and sat on the front steps together, Mike spoke up.

"Steph told us a pretty abridged version of the story. What exactly happened?"

The boys looked at each other and silently agreed for Trey to begin.

"Okay, so we had a team meeting after school today. I went back a couple minutes after it ended 'cause I left my cell phone. So when I got there, I saw Swanson."

"Just to clarify," interrupted Mike, "is this the same guy that's been picking on you?"

Trey nodded, then continued the tale. "So he was saying some more crap, and then he started coming up on me like he wanted to fight me or something…and that's about when Cam and Steph came in."

"Trey was late meeting us at the truck, so we went to check on him," Cameron clarified to the adults.

"Right," agreed Trey. "So they started to defend me and tried to get Swanson to back off…" He trailed off and hung his head before muttering. "And he—he called me a chink."

After saying the offending word as softly as possible, the young Asian began to tense up in anger, so Mike put an arm around him to calm him a little. He and Mercedes looked at Cameron to finish the story.

"Guess I'll take over…so after that Swanson guy…said that…Trey got _really_ mad, and me and Steph had to hold him back. So then, I…I stepped in, and I told him that he needed to leave Trey a-alone."

Sensing that his friend was about to start crying again, Trey locked arms with Cameron for support, his own father's arm still encompassing him. Mercedes put a soothing hand on her son's back and began to rub it softly.

"He…he said I was a nigger, Mama."

Cameron began to break down into sobs, and Trey was close behind him.

And for a few minutes, the only sounds heard were the two young men crying into the arms of their parents.

* * *

Sometime later, after learning a Puckerman family secret, Cameron and Trey were being escorted down the stairs by Finn Hudson.

"Your parents are in the kitchen," Finn said to them. "And if Beth happens to come up, could you _please_ not mention that it's my fault that you know about her?"

The boys laughed, and Trey spoke on their behalf. "Sure thing, Uncle Finn."

"Thanks."

Finn left, and the teens entered the kitchen to find both Evans parents and both Chang parents. Also present were Lucy and Tyler, their younger siblings.

"Sit down, guys," Sam said softly.

"Double family meeting…awesome," Cameron quipped as he and Trey pulled a couple of stools from the bar over to the Lopez-Pierce's kitchen table.

"Guys, I got off the phone with your school a little while ago, and I filled them in on everything that happened," Sam continued. "Your principal said that there _are_ security cameras in the locker room, so we'll just have to wait and see from here."

"However," Mike picked up, "the tapes are video only, not audio."

"So wait…they won't hear what that douche said to us?" an enraged Trey spoke up.

"Trey!" Mike warned. "Tyler and Lucy are right here, if you haven't noticed; watch your language!"

The boy turned to the young children angrily. "Ty, Luce, a racist jackass called me a chink today. And then he called Cameron a nigger." He looked back at his father. "That language good enough for you, Dad!"

"Michael Robert Chang, the Third! You have _no_ right to be angry at any person in this room!" his father screamed.

"But Dad!"

"Dude!"

Trey turned around to see Cameron's hand on his shoulder. He gave the Asian a desperate look. "Just chill, man. Please."

Seeing Cameron about to cry for the third time in one day made Trey feel guilty. He then turned to his father, whose previously furious expression was now much calmer and empathetic.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, son," his father replied.

"Wait a minute."

The room turned to Tyler Chang, who had just spoken.

"So…did someone really say those words to you?" The boys silently nodded. "You didn't provoke him, did you?"

Lucy looked at her friend in surprise. Tyler Chang, the top student in his grade, was habitually a little too smart for his own good and occasionally lacked common sense. It was often up to Lucy to bring him back down to Earth. "That doesn't matter, Ty. No matter how mad you get, you just shouldn't say stuff like that."

"I know that, Lucy. But let's be honest: my brother has a tendency to get himself into a lot of problems with his temper. He probably brought this on himself."

"And so my punishment is a racial slur?" Trey asked in shock. "Do I really deserve that? And how can you explain him yelling at Cameron?"

"If I get mad at you," added Lucy, "I'm gonna call you a stupid idiot, not…_that_."

Tyler nodded, beginning to understand. "So even if he _did_ antagonize this bully—"

"Which I didn't," his brother noted.

"—then there's no reasonable level that it could get to that would constitute a racial remark?"

"That's right," Lucy asserted.

"Your brother's smart as hell. How doesn't he get the basic concepts?" Cameron whispered to his friend. Trey shrugged.

"Well, if there isn't a reasonable level to do so," Tyler continued to muse, "then why did this boy say those things?"

Lucy, now without an answer, turned to Cameron and Trey. Neither of them had an answer, so they turned to their parents.

"People…are jerks," said Mercedes, her first time speaking since the boys arrived in the kitchen. "Wish I had a better answer than that…but it's true; some people are just jerks. They look at people that aren't like them, see something wrong with it, and judge them for it."

And that's when it hit Cameron: his parents were in an interracial marriage. Of course he _knew_ that. But for the first time, he realized exactly what they may have had to go through.

"Mom, Dad," Cameron vocalized, "did you guys…ever…have you two ever been in this situation?"

The Evans parents nodded, and Sam took over. "When your mother and I were in college together, a lot of people, black and white, didn't appreciate that we were together."

"Both sides?" questioned Lucy.

"Yeah. The black guys said that I was taking away a girl that deserved a 'real brother,'" Sam explained, using air quotes. "And the white people…well, they said a lot of bad things about her."

He ended his statement quickly, clearly not wanting to upset his wife. Mercedes, however, seemed unperturbed.

"Honey, I'm okay," she insisted.

"I know," her husband said. "I just don't like it when people insult my Sexy Mama."

"I love it when you try to protect me, my little Jedi."

"You can have the next two months of my allowance if you promise to stop this conversation," begged Cameron.

Lucy rolled her eyes at her parents and brother and then turned to the Changs. "Uncle Mike, Aunt Tina, have you ever had to deal with this junk?"

"Watching Sam and Mercedes practically have sex by just talking? Totally."

Everyone laughed at Mike's joke, briefly easing the tension.

"But seriously," Mike answered, "yes, Tina and I have dealt with racism before. I don't think it was as direct with us since we're not interracial, but we've gotten several weird looks for no good reason."

"But no one has ever said those words…at least not to me," said Tina. She had remained silent until now. "It's terrible that the two of you had to experience that…it isn't right."

"Then going back to my previous question," said Tyler, "why do people say those kinds of words?"

"Maybe they don't understand that we have feelings too," suggested Tina.

"How could that be?" asked Cameron. "We're people just like them! We're not the same color, but we're not any less important."

"That's true," Tina acknowledged, tearing up. "But it's like Mercedes said, people can be really, really cruel. We get looked at and immediately judged and stereotyped. It isn't fair, it isn't right, and it'll never change."

"Mom, please don't cry," Trey said softly. Though Tina Chang _was_ famous for being a crier, it secretly broke Trey's heart to see her upset.

"I disagree, Tina," countered Sam. "I think that things will be different. Maybe not in our time, or in the kids' time. But someday. Call me an optimist, but I just really feel like everything will work out, and there'll be equality for all people. All races, all sexualities. Everything."

Tina smiled a little, her mood uplifted ever so slightly. "I hope you're right, Sam."

"Say things don't change," questioned Cameron. "How are we supposed to deal with this?"

"Do what you've been doing now," stated Mike as if it were obvious. "Love each other. Beyond what other people may think is right. Live your lives the way we taught you to, and don't let the closed minds of others close your own."

There was a comfortable silence as the eight people in the room looked at each other, all feeling a little inspired.

"So…as far as Swanson," questioned Trey, "what happens now?"

"Well, like we said," Sam answered, "your principal is gonna review the tapes and let us know."

"And the audio?" Trey asked, much calmer than when he asked the first time. "What if things don't work out?"

Mike, Tina, Mercedes, and Sam remained silent. In the backs of their minds, the adults knew that Senator Santana Lopez was already trying to work her political magic, but none of them really wanted to get their kids' hopes up.

Before anyone could speak though, Cameron answered the question. "Then we move on. Because we're better than him. And we're better than that."

"It isn't the words that bigots say that define us," mused Lucy. "We define ourselves."

"That's right, baby girl," Mercedes smiled softly, her daughter not even hearing her.

"I still don't like it," said Trey. "Until today, I never even realized that people like this were out there…It's not fair that he could just get away with it."

"Even if he _were_ punished, it probably wouldn't change his opinions of minorities," his brother rationalized. "Revenge may be sweet, but I doubt it will change him. If anything, he could become madder."

Trey remained unconvinced, so Cameron decided to try again. "There are a lot of jerks in the world. But there are also a lot a great people. Maybe if we just surround ourselves with them and ignore the crappy ones, we'll be okay."

"The world _has_ come a long way," Lucy added, helping her brother convince Trey.

"And it continues to change," thought Tyler. "After all, by learning from the past, we can change the future."

Sam turned to his wife and the Changs. "Does anyone notice that none of us are in this conversation anymore?"

"I take that as a good sign," replied Mike.

"They're starting to think on their own," noted Mercedes. "Looks like everything may work out. Right Tina?"

Tina, who had been the most skeptical, smiled. "Maybe you're all right…perhaps things _could_ change for the better over time."

The adults continued to watch as their four young teenagers discussed such a mature topic with so much invested interest. And when they were finished talking thirty minutes later, Cameron, Lucy, Tyler, and Trey were shocked to find that their parents weren't even in the room anymore.

* * *

One more interlude, and then the real chapters will start up again!

On another note, I've realized that the Glee fandom is pretty ruthless about their ships. Tumblr can get scary. :)

**In the Next Interlude: Set after "All I Want for Christmas is You" - After hearing the bombshell of her life, Quinn Fabray-Puckerman wants answers.**


	14. Interlude: Talk to Me

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: With its many many many many continuity errors, I don't think I'd even _want_ to own Glee. So it's a good thing I don't.

**A/N: Presenting...the final interlude before the real chapters come back! Hooray! This is set after "All I Want for Christmas is You."**

Interlude – Talk to Me

Christmas mornings are usually filled with children staying awake in hopes for the arrival of Santa. This year, however, the only person that stayed awake throughout the night at the Evans home was houseguest Quinn Fabray-Puckerman. But in her defense, she _had_ just learned that the daughter she had given up for adoption was probably a maximum of twenty miles away from her, _and_ all of her closest friends seemed to have known this for months.

By the time Quinn decided that sleep would not be an option for her, it was about six o'clock in the morning. Accepting that fact, she draped a robe over herself, left the guest bedroom without waking her husband, and walked into the living room to find that she wasn't the only person that was awake. Her son Mark, who spent the night on the couch, was seated with Lucy Evans watching a Christmas special on television.

"Merry Christmas, you guys," she greeted softly.

"Merry Christmas!" they both answered.

"What are you both doing up?"

"I naturally wake up early every Christmas morning," Lucy responded. "Santa may not be real, but the anticipation lives on!"

Quinn smiled before turning to her son. "And you?"

"Mom, you know I gotta get my old school Christmas specials on. Heat Miser vs. Snow Miser is badass!"

"Mark!"

"Sorry."

The blonde woman looked back at Lucy. "Is it just you two up?"

"No, my mom's awake. She's cooking breakfast."

"Yeah," added Mark, "And Aunt Rachel's here, too."

Quinn looked taken aback. "Really?"

"She showed up about ten minutes ago," Lucy told her.

"Hmm…I think I may have an id—"

"Mom, I not even gonna lie," her son interrupted. "I stopped listening to you two when the Heat Miser started singing."

She rolled her eyes and slapped Mark in the back of his spiky head before making her way to the kitchen. Though neither woman inside could see Quinn, _she_ could see and hear them.

"It's just…I feel so bad about all of this," Quinn heard Rachel say. "I just couldn't sleep at all last night. I thought I was alone in my plight, but I saw your early morning Facebook status, and I figured that you were awake too, so I decided to come here. I hope I'm not imposing, but I just feel terrible about this."

"Yeah, my night wasn't much better," Mercedes agreed from the stove. "I hate that we kept this from Quinn."

"Well, in my defense, _you all_ kept this from me. I only just found out."

Mercedes looked bashful. "Sorry about that, by the way."

"It's okay; I understand."

Quinn decided to make her presence known. "Well I don't. Now could someone please explain it to _me_?"

The two women gasped.

"Hey honey," Mercedes started.

"Merry Christmas, Quinn!" added Rachel.

"Don't 'Hey honey, Merry Christmas, Quinn' me," said Quinn, calm and angry at the same time as she took a seat beside Rachel. "Now if anyone's going to explain this to me, it's the two of you. Start talking."

Mercedes sighed and sat with the other women. "I don't know where exactly to begin…"

"Merry Christmas, ex-girlfriends!"

They all looked up to find Puck entering. He continued, "Well, Merry Christmas to Q and Hot Mama. As for you Rachel, shalom. After all, us Jews gotta stick together, right my little Puckleberry?"

As Rachel and Mercedes smirked, Quinn looked annoyed. "I'm not sure what's more annoying: how you're flirting right in front of me, or how you referred to me as your _ex-girlfriend_."

"Well, you're my wife now. That means you're no longer my girlfriend, my sexy little MILF."

"And yet, you still flirt with _us_?" questioned Mercedes. "And by the way, we only dated for like five minutes."

"And _we_ didn't actually date," added Rachel. "Just a few stolen kisses really."

"What are you doing up, anyway?" Quinn asked, deciding to not give Puck a chance to respond to them.

"My Snow Miser senses were tingling," he answered. "You know, Markie and I duke it out over them every year. He really thinks that the dumbass Heat Miser can take my man Snowy."

"_How_ exactly did you end up marrying him?" Mercedes asked.

"It's a _long_ story."

"So," Puck continued, "what'd I miss here?"

It was then that Quinn remembered that she was a little angry with Mercedes and Rachel. "I was just about to talk to these two about what you and I discussed last night."

Puck suddenly appeared a little uncomfortable. "Babe, I thought that we decided that it was just a coincidence," he whispered.

"Actually Noah," began Rachel, "it's no coincidence. It really is her."

Dropping into a chair, Puck took one of Quinn's hands as she placed her other hand over her mouth in shock, tears filling her eyes already.

The other two women respectfully remained silent.

After a few seconds, Puck spoke up. "…H-How? What the hell…"

"It all started this school year," Mercedes began. She decided to tell the story since Rachel herself had only recently discovered the news. "Beth is the director of Vocal DynamiX."

"That's their glee club, right?" asked Quinn.

"Yes," responded Mercedes. "So early into the year, they needed help with choreography, so Cameron recommended Mike and Brittany."

"So Britt and Chang found a woman with the same name, so what?" Puck commented, still unconvinced.

"It's her, Puck," insisted Mercedes. "She introduced herself to Mike as Shelby Corcoran's daughter."

"Oh…"

Quinn leaned into her husband. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" he answered, not looking at her. "Um…what happened after that, 'Cedes?"

Mercedes looked apprehensive. "You sure? You both look a little drained already. Maybe we should—"

"No!" they both screamed simultaneously.

"Okay…" Mercedes picked up where she left off. "So Mike and Brittany told Santana and Tina, I guess."

"Yes," affirmed Rachel. "I'm unsure of when exactly Brittany told Santana, but I _do_ know that Mike told Finn and Tina over Thanksgiving."

"The rest of us—well, except Rachel—found out about a week later."

"And I learned at Sectionals," Rachel finished.

"And now…here we are," said Mercedes.

The Puckermans remained still, and soon Puck slowly pulled Quinn into his arms. Sensing the need to leave, Mercedes and Rachel started to rise.

"Wait!" Quinn announced. "Please don't go."

"Okay, honey, we're right here," Mercedes told her, retaking her seat.

"Yes, whatever you need," agreed Rachel.

"What…what are we supposed to do?" Puck asked, trying to keep himself composed for Quinn's sake.

"Well, Noah," Rachel began softly, "how do you feel about all of this?"

"I don't know…everything's happening so fast. I didn't even think I could ever see her again…I-I don't know if I want to."

Quinn immediately detached herself from Puck. "What do you mean you don't want to!" she screamed through her tears.

"That's not what I said!" Puck insisted. "It's just…I promised myself that I would be in her life, that I wouldn't do to her what _my_ dad did to me…and I failed. I don't know…I just don't think I could face her."

"Puck, you didn't fail," Mercedes told him. "As a father, you realized that you weren't ready to handle the responsibility, so you decided to give Beth to someone who _could_. Frankly…you didn't really have an obligation to have a relationship with her anymore."

"Mercedes, how could you say that?" Quinn asked in shock. "Beth is our daughter, and we need to see her. End of story."

"Honey, you _know_ it's not that simple," Rachel tried to soothe.

"Oh, what do _you_ know Rachel!"

Rachel answered softly. "I was in Beth's situation. I know exactly how this feels. Perhaps not from _your_ perspective…but from Beth's."

The blonde woman softened, feeling guilty about snapping. "I'm sorry."

"Quinn," Rachel started, deciding to move on, "may I give you some advice? As the child of adoptive parents?"

"Sure."

"If you go to Beth and announce to her that _you_ are her mother, it could be too much for her to handle. For all you know, Beth may not even know that she is adopted."

Quinn sighed in discouragement.

"And Q," Puck said slowly, trying to be as gentle as possible, "if she wanted to see us, she would have contacted us by now. It's not like Shelby doesn't have our phone numbers or anything."

Quinn looked very upset now, so Mercedes tried to appease her. "Quinn…we're not saying that you shouldn't see Beth."

"We're just suggesting that you should think about this for longer than a few minutes," agreed Rachel.

"Yeah, Quinn, just chill with all of this," suggested Puck.

Quinn shook her head in disagreement. "No. No, you're wrong. You're all wrong. That is _my_ daughter, and I have a right to see her if I want to."

"We're not saying that you don't, Quinn!" Mercedes begged. "But you have to consider Beth's side in all of this! What if she's not ready to see you?"

"Or what if she doesn't know that we exist?" Puck added. "Like Berry said, she may not even know that she's adopted."

"The only reason you are against this is because of your stupid guilt about abandoning her!" Quinn said to her husband.

"QUINN!" Mercedes screamed, going to stand in the girl's face. "I know you're upset, but please calm down."

"It's not fair, Mercedes!"

Her surrogate sister gave her a long hug. "I know."

After several seconds, the two pulled apart, and Rachel went to hug Quinn as well.

"I've got to go home to my family, honey," Rachel said after the hug, "but _please_ do not hesitate to call me. I mean that."

"Thank you," Quinn smiled.

"I'll walk you out," Mercedes said to Rachel.

The brunette nodded and wished Quinn a Merry Christmas (along with a Happy Hanukkah for Puck) and soon, she and Mercedes were gone.

"Quinn," Puck told his wife after making sure they were alone, "I wasn't trying to make you mad or anything. I'm sorry."

"Me too, Puck," Quinn said softly. "I know that this is hard for you too…I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"But you were right about the guilt thing," he told her. "I still don't know if I'm ready to see her…and I really don't think that you are either."

Quinn gave him a determined look. "Puck, you do whatever you want, and I won't stop you. But Beth is my daughter…and I _will_ see her again."

The woman stormed out without even looking at her husband, completely positive that no matter what, this time, her "big plans" would be carried out.

* * *

A pretty short one, I know. But I needed to show Quinn and Puck's initial reactions, because this interlude is very important when it comes to the next chapter. As it was my first time really writing Puck and Quinn, I apologize if their characterization wasn't up to par.

Speaking of the next chapter, it should be up on Monday! I'm currently writing the fourth post-interlude chapter...writing still isn't easy.

**In the Next Chapter: As Quinn remains determined to see Beth, Cole must deal with the return of Jack Abrams. Meanwhile, Trey and Cameron must face off Hank Swanson for a final time.**


	15. Brand New Day

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I own every character under the age of twenty-one

**A/N: I'm back with _real_ chapters! Let's cut this A/N short, and get to the story!**

Chapter 11 – Brand New Day

The school board building of the Buchanan Public School District was relatively small in comparison to the other buildings of downtown Cincinnati, but as far as Cameron Evans was concerned, it could have been as intimidating as the White House itself. Clad in a suit and slightly gelled hair, Cameron gulped nervously as he stood outside the building. He briefly turned behind him and saw his parents and Senator Santana Lopez-Pierce greeting the newly arrived Chang family. Trey Chang, also wearing a suit, walked over to Cameron.

"You okay, Cam?"

"I don't know…I just wish that we didn't have to be here, you know?"

"Yeah," Trey agreed. "But at least we have a chance at some kind of justice."

"Boys, you don't have anything to worry about."

Cameron and Trey looked behind them as Santana walked forward with their respective parents.

"All you need to do is tell the truth about that day," Santana continued, "and you'll be fine."

"You guys okay?" Sam asked.

"Just ready for this to be over, Dad," Cameron replied. Sam put a comforting arm on his son's shoulder.

"Where's Steph?" asked Tina. "She's one of the witnesses. Doesn't she need to be here?"

"Sorry we're late!"

The group turned around to find Finn Hudson walking up with his daughter Steph.

"Where the hell were you, Man Boobs?" questioned Santana.

Finn frowned, but answered. "We had to pick someone up along the way." Finn took a couple of steps to one side to reveal…

"Julia!"

Cameron rushed over and gave his girlfriend a long hug. Seeing this, Trey turned to Steph and gave her a small smile and wave that she quickly—and somewhat awkwardly—returned. They weren't exactly…dating. However, they weren't exactly..._not_ dating, either.

"Jules, what are you doing here?" asked the biracial boy to his girlfriend.

"Cam, I know that this horrible travesty with this Swanson character has been emotionally draining you. I wanted to come and show my support for you."

The boy smiled widely. "You're awesome."

"Alright lovebirds, let's take it inside," Santana insisted.

Trey and Cameron looked at each other one final time and then slowly led the way.

* * *

About one hour later, the chairwoman of the school board was standing before the eight other members. Watching from the audience were the aforementioned New Directions and Vocal DynamiX. Also in attendance in the small room, on the other side of the aisle of course, were Hank Swanson and his parents, a small, spindly woman and her bulking husband.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the school board," the chairwoman spoke, her back turned to the audience as she looked at the members, "we have now heard the testimonies of Mr. Evans, Mr. Chang, and witness Miss Hudson. We will now hear from Mr. Henry Swanson."

As the bully made his way forward, Julia noticed Cameron tense in discomfort, so she grabbed his hand. Seeing that Trey was observing Cameron and Julia, Steph, with a bit of awkwardness, did the same with Trey's hand. Because that's what girlfriends did, right? Even if they _weren't_ actually dating.

"Mr. Swanson," announced the chairwoman impartially, now seated with her associates, "please give us your take of the events."

The boy shrugged. "Basically the Asian kid—_Mr. Chang_—cornered me in the locker room and started yelling at me. I only went up to him to defend myself."

Cameron put his free hand on Trey's arm, knowing that his best friend was prepared to scream.

"Mr. Swanson," said a second board member, "the security tapes show that _you_ advanced upon Mr. Chang before the arrivals of Mr. Evans and Miss Hudson."

"In self-defense," Swanson repeated, almost as if it were rehearsed in a bathroom mirror a couple of hours before.

"Very well then," said the chairwoman. "What about _after_ the entrances of Miss Hudson and Mr. Evans?"

"Same thing," Swanson asserted. "I mean, you saw Chang lunge at me in the tapes, right?"

Trey gulped from his seat. After all, he _did_ try to attack Swanson and would have if not for Steph and Cameron holding him back.

The board members nodded, clearly trying to remain impartial. A different one spoke next. "Mr. Swanson, it has already been determined that _you_ were the main aggressor. The video surveillance was evidence enough. What we are here to resolve is if the attacks were racially motivated. Where do you stand on this assertion?"

"It's stupid," the boy replied quickly and darkly. He was looking down and could barely be heard.

"So you deny that you used racial slurs towards Misters Chang and Evans?"

"Yeah, I deny it."

The chairwoman adjusted some of her papers before speaking. "Mr. Swanson, we have written testimonies from several members of the Buchanan High soccer team, all of whom allege that you had been using various racially themed 'jokes' towards Michael Chang before the event in question."

"So what? It's just jokes."

The chairwoman frowned, prepared to call one final witness. "Thank you, Mr. Swanson; you may be seated. When he returned to his seat, the chairwoman continued. "I'd now like to call upon the principal of Buchanan High School, Dr. Ursula Hightower."

"Good day council," the principal addressed, already making her way to where Hank Swanson had stood moments ago. "Buchanan High's security team, along with myself, took the liberty of inspecting Mr. Swanson's locker prior to today's meeting—"

"You raided my fucking locker!" a worried and angry voice screeched.

The large oaf's father grabbed the shoulder of his now-standing son and sharply pushed him back into his seat. Cameron and Trey looked at his face, and it was clear: it was over for Hank Swanson.

* * *

"So what happened?" Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce asked her friends later that day. The six friends were now in Mrs. Hamilton's homeroom class, and she and Cole Hudson were now being recapped.

"The principal and her guards found a disturbingly large multitude of racist paraphernalia inside of the boy's locker," Julia told them.

"Everything from sketches of swastikas to KKK pamphlets," shuddered Trey.

"As awful as it was," said Steph, "it proved that Swanson's attacks were racially motivated."

"So now he's been suspended from school and is taking court-mandated therapy," Cameron explained. "And if he's still considered a violent threat, he might have to go to juvenile hall."

"Damn…" sighed Anna Maria, letting everything sink in and trying to stop herself from thinking of what could have happened if the bully hadn't been caught in time.

"You guys okay?" Cole asked.

Trey nodded. "As long as I never have to see that jerk again, I'm fine."

"But," Cameron countered, "I _do_ hope that he gets the help that he needs. People who think like that…that's just scary."

Julia smiled at her boyfriend. "That is very mature, Cameron. I'm proud of you."

As Julia gave Cameron a hug while Trey and Steph awkwardly smiled at each other, Anna Maria rolled her eyes.

"Coley, we've gotta get some boyfriends."

"Are you not dating Puckerman?" Trey asked.

"Hell no," Anna Maria told him. "One, he's a lying, cheating jackass. Two, he lives all the way in Boston, and three, he's graduating this year! Why would I want to even _try_ to date him?"

"So you don't like him at all?" Steph asked.

The Latina thought for a moment before answering. "I wouldn't exactly say that…but Markie Puckerman just isn't worth the effort of a long distance, exclusive relationship."

"But you guys were totally flirting at the wedding!" Trey countered.

"No," she corrected. "_He_ was flirting. _I_ was playing _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series: The Movie_ in my head. The only flirting going on at the wedding was with my boy, Cole."

Cole squeaked. "What!"

His best friend smirked at his embarrassment. "See?"

"I don't like Jack!"

"I didn't say you liked him. I just said he was flirting with you."

The tall boy groaned, realizing he had been caught. The overly flirty (and obviously _experienced_) Jack Abrams was not the kind of person that Cole should have any sort of romantic feelings for. Then why did he spend the entire holiday texting him?

"Okay, I'll admit it. I…am fascinated by him…a little," Cole stated as all of the girls cooed at him. "And while we _did_ text a little, nothing's ever gonna come from it."

"Well, that's very disappointing, Pretty Boy."

The group looked up to locate the source of the voice and found none other than Jack Abrams grinning at them.

"J-J-Jack!" Cole stuttered as Cameron and Trey stifled their laughs at his awkwardness.

"Hello, Jackson!" Julia exclaimed, clearly not noticing her cousin's discomfort. "What are you doing here?"

"Enrolling," Jack answered, pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of Cole's desk. "Did you guys not hear the old lady introduce me?"

"We've learned to tune out Wilma Flintstone since October," Anna Maria stated, referring to their homeroom teacher.

"So you're going _here_ now?" asked Steph.

"Yup. Pop wanted to move to start fresh after the divorce, and he decided to be close to his Nude Erections."

The homeroom teacher walked over to them. "Watch your language, Jackson Abrams."

"It's Jack, lady."

"Your transcript says Jackson," the old woman argued. "You, therefore, are Jackson."

"But—"

"Let it go, Jack," Cameron warned. "Totally not worth it."

"Mr. Abrams," the teacher went on, "you've neglected to provide me with your permission form to participate in the science labs."

Jack thought for a minute, looked at Cole, and then grinned at the teacher. "I must have left it in the principal's office...I'd go and check, but I forgot where it was! Mr. Hudson and I have become…fast friends. Maybe he could show me the way?"

"That sounds like a splendid idea," the woman replied, giving Jack a pass as she fell right into his trap. "Take your time."

Jack gave a Cheshire Cat-like grin. "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

* * *

"You are no kind of subtle, you know that?" Cole said immediately after closing the classroom door.

"Here's one more for you: that sheet that she wants is in my backpack."

"Then why are we even out here?"

"Because," Jack smiled, "I have to…_pee_."

"Seriously, Jack?" Cole grinned as they walked away from the classroom.

"Those pictures you sent me just weren't enough," Jack informed him. "I miss the real thing."

Cole blushed, remembering the night that he and Jack exchanged some…rather provocative pictures through text messages.

"Fine, but could you at least be a _little_ less obvious about it? I'd rather people not know that you and I are…whatever we are."

"I believe the term is 'friends with benefits', or if you prefer 'fuck buddies.'"

"And by the way," Cole interrupted, "thanks for telling me that you moved here! We only text like every day!"

"Well in my defense, like ninety percent of our texts are about our penises, so moving to a new city never quite came up," his suitor tried to justify. "Besides, you're cute when you're surprised."

"You know, we should really flesh out the details of our relationship, especially if you're moving here to stay."

"Okay, here are the details, Pretty Boy: When I'm horny, you help me out. When you're horny, I help you out. This is, in no way, an exclusive thing, because as hot as you are, variety is the spice of life when it comes to hot guys...but for your sake, I guess we can keep our thing quiet."

"That means you're gonna have to stop the flirting in front of my friends."

"But flirting with you makes my pants happy!" Jack exaggeratedly whined.

Cole laughed loudly. "Oh God! Jack, stop saying stuff like that!"

"When it makes you laugh like that? No way I'm stopping!"

By this time, the pair had entered the bathroom. After checking to see that it was empty, Jack pulled Cole into a handicapped stall.

"Shouldn't we save this for someone who needs it?" questioned Cole.

"My dad's in a chair; I've got dibs by association."

"That's not exactly logical."

"Fine then," Jack responded, putting his hand on the door handle. "I guess we just won't mess around today."

Cole grabbed Jack's arm and slammed him against the wall. Grinning, he answered. "You're not going anywhere."

* * *

A few hours later, it was lunchtime, and the six friends were at their usual table, Trey, Cameron, and Julia on one side, and Steph, Anna Maria, and Cole on the other.

"So where's your boyfriend, Hudson?"

Cole grumbled at Trey. "One, he's not my boyfriend. Two, his dad took him out to lunch. He'll be back next period."

"For someone who isn't his boyfriend, you sure know a lot about him," quipped Cameron.

Cole looked at his best friend. "I know that _you_ usually do it, but—"

"Coley, I officially pass the torch to you," proclaimed Anna Maria.

"Thanks." And Cole immediately proceeded to throw his piece of cornbread in Cameron's face.

"Very nice," the Latina commended. "Next lesson, side dishes."

Dusting the cornbread crumbs off of his shirt angrily, Cameron looked up and gasped at the entrance to the cafeteria.

"Don't look now, Satan…you've got company."

Before Anna Maria could ask who it was, the "company" in question walked straight to their table in the form of Mark Puckerman.

"Hey people who don't matter. And hey to you too, Anna Maria."

The girl rolled her eyes. "What the hell do you want, Markie?"

"Just decided to drop in."

"So, you 'just decided to drop in' on your ex-girlfriend in the middle of the school day?" his ex-girlfriend asked rhetorically. "That's creepy as hell, you know."

"Has school not started for you?" asked Steph.

"Nope," he answered. "My school semester doesn't start until next week; we're leaving Cincinnati to head back to Boston late tonight."

"I thought that you were leaving this morning," said Cameron. The Puckermans had been staying with the Evans family during their stay in Cincinnati.

"Me too," Mark agreed. "But this morning, my mom suddenly decided that she had some kind of 'unfinished business' or something. She and Rachel are up here now for some reason; I just tagged along to say goodbye to my best girl."

"Once again, Markie," Anna Maria informed him, "you and I have been over for years. It's not gonna happen."

"Fine!" Mark announced. "Besides, it's not like I can't get another girl. Or a _woman_ for that matter." He started to look around the cafeteria and spotted a blonde woman at the vending machine. "Like her!"

The group looked to where Mark was forwarding and saw that he was pointing at Beth Corcoran…otherwise known as his biological sister…who was currently walking over to their very table.

"See that?" the oblivious Mark Puckerman continued. "That babe must have spotted me! Told you I could get her, A.M.!"

"Um…yeah Markie…" the girl replied with a smirk.

"Maybe you should ask her out, Puckerman!" Trey egged on.

"Yeah!" added Cameron with a laugh. "Go for it!"

Steph spoke up. "Markie, we can't do this to you. I don't know exactly how to tell you, but that woman is—"

"Your perfect match!" her twin interrupted. "You've gotta do it, man!"

Julia pulled Cameron's ear to her mouth. "Are we really going to let this happen, Cam? He's about to hit on his sister! We cannot let this proceed!"

Cameron looked back at her. "Remember two years ago when Markie used your autographed _Les Mis_ DVD as a frisbee and it went into a sewer?"

"You should definitely introduce yourself to her, Mark!" Julia told the Puckerman boy, now mischievously fueled by anger.

The biracial boy smiled. "Atta girl."

By this time, Beth Corcoran was now at their table. "Hello everyone!"

"Hello, Ms. Corcoran," Julia greeted politely. "How was your holiday?"

"Great, thanks for asking," Beth replied. She turned to Anna Maria. "I'm so sorry that I was too sick to make it to the wedding."

"No sweat," the girl replied. "Everything went well. Uncle Mike took over."

"Hey, Ms. C.," Trey interrupted, "did you hear anything about…?"

"Oh! That's why I came over in the first place!" Beth remembered, not noticing the deflation of the mysterious spiky-haired teenager standing behind her. "I talked to the principal, and he loves your idea! If you can get enough people together, we can make this happen!"

Trey grew a wide smile. "That's great!"

"What? What?" inquired Steph.

Trey explained. "Back at Sectionals, I noticed how Cole's boyfriend—"

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"—was in a band that played backup while the show choir performed. And I thought that it was really cool, you know, instead of instrumental tracks. So I pitched the idea to Ms. C., and she said she'd talk to the principal."

"And he said that you can do it, as long as you can get enough people," Beth added. "Come by after school today, and we'll go over the details."

'Thanks Ms. C.!"

"Dude, way to go!" Cameron congratulated.

"Yeah Trey," Steph added softly, giving a very small smile, "congratulations."

Trey's smile was wider. "Thanks."

It was around this time when Mark Puckerman decided to interrupt, tapping Beth's shoulder quickly.

"Um, yes?"

"Hi, I'm from out of town," Mark said in a deeper and more mature tone of voice, "and _you_ can have the honor of joining me."

As the rest of the group was doing everything in their power to hold in their laughter, Beth looked uncomfortable, yet flattered. "Thank you," she said, "but I'm fine right where I am."

And Beth left without another word. As soon as she was gone, the others exploded in laughter.

"Oh ha ha ha…" Mark repeated dryly. "It wasn't that funny."

"It's not _that_ Markie," Anna Maria explained, her laughter slowly subsiding. "It's just…she's _really_ not your type."

"What? Is she a lesbian?"

"…Let's go with that."

* * *

"Okay, which one is she?"

"Will you relax? She's walking over to the kids, right now."

Quinn Fabray-Puckerman entered the cafeteria slowly, thankful that no one she knew noticed her entry. Her eyes landed on the blonde woman standing beside her son…her daughter…her children were standing right beside each other…

"Quinn!" Rachel Berry Hudson whispered from the doorframe, "get back out here before the kids see you!"

The blonde woman reluctantly did so. "That's…that's her…that's Beth…"

"Yes Quinn, it is," Rachel answered softly.

Quinn sighed. "I wish Puck was here."

"He isn't ready to see her, honey," Rachel reminded her friend.

"But _I_ am!"

"Quinn, it's like we all said at Christmas," said Rachel. "You can't just walk up to her and introduce yourself as her real mother! As someone who has been in Beth's position, I can tell you that she would not appreciate that at all!"

Her friend's expression saddened, so Rachel spoke once more. "I've got an idea. Let _me_ talk to Beth. I'll ask her about Shelby, see how much she knows, and we can go from there."

"How in the world are you gonna know what to say?"

Rachel scoffed as if it were obvious. "I'm an actress. I'll improvise!"

* * *

Beth Corcoran was seated in her office inside of the Vocal DynamiX rehearsal hall reviewing her notes from her meeting with the principal, when a knock on the door interrupted her.

"Excuse me, Ms. Corcoran?"

Beth looked a little shocked at her visitor. "Rachel! I-I mean, Mrs. Hudson. It's so nice to finally meet you." She stood up and shook Rachel's hand.

"Likewise," agreed Rachel.

"I'm very familiar with your work," Beth continued. "I love your performances on Broadway, and being able to teach Steph and Cole is great."

Rachel smiled, a little surprised that her "sister" was also one of her fans. "Thank you, Ms. Corcoran."

"Please call me Beth," she replied, forwarding to a chair for Rachel to sit in. As they both sat, Beth continued. "So is there anything I can do for you, today?"

"Well," Rachel paused, mentally preparing her improvisation, "I talked to Mike Chang…he told me that your mother is Shelby Corcoran. We've…worked together before, and I was just wondering how she was doing."

Beth sighed nervously. "Mrs. Hudson—"

"Rachel, please."

"Rachel," the blonde started timidly, "I…I know who you are."

"What do you mean?"

"I know that…my mother gave birth to you."

Needless to say, Rachel was stunned. "Um…wow. If I could ask how you found out?"

"My mother was at Sectionals," Beth explained. "She was very impressed with Cole and Steph's duet, and when I told her that they were _the_ Rachel Berry Hudson's children…she eventually ended up telling me about you."

Mrs. Hudson looked very surprised. "Beth…that's very surprising, to be honest."

"How do you mean?"

"From what I know about Shelby Corcoran, she's very…guarded," Rachel struggled to find the exact word.

The young blonde woman nodded in agreement. "I know. In fact, she wouldn't tell me right away, but I could see in her eyes that she was hiding something important from me, and it had to do with you. So I nagged her for days, and she finally gave in and told me Christmas Eve morning."

"Christmas Eve morning…the wedding!" Rachel realized, remembering that the second woman was not present at the reception. "Were you even sick?"

Beth looked embarrassed. "I know it isn't professional, and I'm very ashamed of it…I just wasn't ready to face you so soon after finding out…"

Rachel put a hand on Beth's. "Don't be too hard on yourself. It happens to the best of us. I know from experience that a revelation like this can be very draining."

"I was shocked, of course," Beth told her. "It's like a have a long-lost sister of sorts…although, she's technically my long-lost _adopted_ sister…which is ironic, considering we were _both_ adopted…dear God, this is confusing."

Rachel laughed, and then realized something. "So you know you're adopted, then?"

"Yes, did _you_ know I was adopted or something?"

The older woman nodded. "I…reconnected with Shelby around the time of the adoption process." Technically, that _was_ the truth…ish.

"Could I ask you something a little personal?"

"Sure Beth."

"Well…you called her _Shelby_. Do you…consider her your mother?"

The woman sighed. "No. And I don't say that out of spite or anger. I have two fathers, and I love them dearly. They are the ones that raised me, and they'll always be my parents no matter what. Admittedly, when I began my search for Shelby, I _was_ hoping for…an actual connection, but now I've come to the understanding that a relationship will probably never happen."

"Does that upset you?"

"Every now and then," Rachel admitted. "But I don't let it stop me. After all, I'm Rachel Berry."

It was Beth's turn to laugh. "I'm not too sure how I even feel."

"What do you mean?"

"The way _you_ feel about my mother in comparison to how _I_ feel about my _own_ birth parents. I've always known that I was adopted, but I've never really been interested in finding them. And my mother has the information whenever I'm ready, but…I'm just not."

Rachel could have sworn she heard light footsteps fading away from the office. Inwardly, she knew that Quinn had been listening, and it was getting to be too much for her.

"Could I ask why you feel that way?" Luckily, Rachel was able to hide her emotions, her immediate sympathy for Quinn, coupled with her empathy for Beth.

"I don't exactly know," she answered.

"Let's say…that your birth mother actually wanted to see you. Do you think you would want to?"

Beth was very quiet, clearly letting the question sink in. "Maybe. I don't know. I've just always assumed that my mother never wanted me, so I never even considered that she may actually want to see me."

"So you're not ready to meet your birth mother because you're afraid of how she may react?" Rachel tried to supply.

"That _is_ a big part of it…but it's like you said about your fathers: my mother is my mother."

"I don't think that Shelby would be mad if you wanted to meet her," Rachel said. "Didn't you say that she had the information whenever you were ready?"

"Yes, it's just—ugh, so much is happening at once!"

"Beth, I'm sorry," Rachel stopped. "I've been asking you all of these questions; it's really not my place."

"Please don't apologize, Rachel," Beth countered. "Truthfully…I feel really comfortable talking with you. I just don't know exactly what I'm feeling."

"Well, as someone who had been in your situation, I'd love to help you try to figure everything out."

"Are you sure it wouldn't be weird for you?"

"I may never have the relationship with Shelby that I had dreamed of in high school," Rachel began, "but it looks like I'm getting a sister as the end result."

Beth smiled. "It looks that way indeed."

* * *

Rachel left the office and the rehearsal hall about five minutes later, Beth Corcoran's phone number safely stored in her cell phone. But now she had a new mission: find Quinn. Beth's conversation was not exactly "anti-birth mother", but those were the parts that Quinn heard before leaving. Rachel instinctively entered the women's restroom, and sure enough, she heard crying coming from a stall.

"Quinn?"

"Rachel, please go," a voice replied from the stall in question. "You, Puck, and Mercedes were right, and I was wrong. Just leave me alone, please."

"No," Rachel insisted. "You didn't hear the entire conversation. Please come out, Quinn."

Instead, Rachel got this as a response: "This was a stupid idea. You were all right."

"None of us ever said that this was a stupid idea," Rachel told her. "And it's not that Beth doesn't want to see you. She's just not sure that she's ready."

Quinn finally exited the stall slowly. "Will she _ever_ be ready?"

"I really don't know, Quinn."

"Well, are you going to see her again?"

"Yes I am."

The blonde grew excited. "Well, just convince her to—"

"Quinn," Rachel interrupted, "I'm not going to convince Beth to do anything. She trusts me."

Quinn sighed, knowing that Rachel was right. "I still feel like she's my daughter…sometimes, I feel like I made a terrible mistake by giving her up."

"Honey, you weren't emotionally or financially ready to be a mother," Rachel responded. "You did the right thing. I know that it doesn't seem like it, but you did. And Beth really is happy now; I could tell that."

"You could?"

"Yeah," Rachel smiled. "And you never know, things could change. She may not be ready to see you right now, but only time will tell, right?"

Her friend nodded. "Thank you, Rachel."

* * *

A few minutes later, Quinn left the bathroom to retrieve her son. Rachel stayed inside to freshen up. Mark Puckerman ended up meeting Quinn outside of the cafeteria.

"You're not inside with the others?"

"Their lunch period ended a few minutes ago. Didn't you hear the bell or see all of the kids running around?"

Quinn thought back. Through her loud crying in the bathroom stall, she _may _have heard a few noises. But she had been too emotional to care. "I guess my mind was somewhere else," she said to her son.

Mark smiled, but stopped upon looking at his mother's face. "Have you been crying?"

The woman smiled softly. "A little…I'm just gonna miss everyone, you know? It was really good seeing them." Quinn's son did not know the truth about his sister, and in her current emotional state, she was certainly not planning on telling him today.

Mark agreed. "Yeah it was…how about this? On the ride home, you and me can watch _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series: The Movie_ on the car's DVD player. It'll cheer you up!"

Quinn put her head on her taller son's shoulder and he put an arm around her. "Make it the sequel, and you've got yourself a deal."

"In that case, _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series: The Movie, Part II: Attack of the Kardashians_ it is!"

* * *

After school that day, Trey and Steph were in the Hummel-Anderson kitchen fixing glasses of lemonade for their friends.

"You know," Trey began slowly, "we…never actually talked about…what we are."

'Oh yeah…I…I forgot."

"I mean, Jules and Cam decided to make it official after their first date. Is that what _we're_ supposed to do?"

"I don't know Trey," the girl replied uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to have this conversation. "Maybe…does it really work like that, though?"

"Isn't it supposed to?"

Anna Maria suddenly entered the kitchen, thankfully interrupting their awkward conversation, and Trey took the opportunity to sneak out of the room. Pointing to the glasses, Anna Maria angrily asked, "Which one of these is Cameron's?"

"Any I guess," Steph decided confusedly. "Why?"

The Latina picked up one of the glasses and subtly dropped a small pill inside of it. "Just teaching ol' Trouty Mouth a lesson in calling girls fat." She then noticed that Trey was no longer in the room. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Yes," Steph sighed appreciatively. "But I'm not really complaining."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"I'd have to _be_ in paradise first."

Anna Maria gave the girl a sympathetic smile and walked onto the Hummel-Anderson patio with her. Awaiting them were Trey, Cameron, Julia, Cole, and Jack.

As Anna Maria made sure that Cameron got his "special" glass of lemonade, Julia stood up. "Ladies and gentlemen—"

Cameron piped up smugly. "And Anna Maria."

As Julia briefly admonished her boyfriend, Jack Abrams turned to the Latina. "You gonna let him get away with that?"

"I spiked his drink with a laxative," she replied calmly.

"You just carry those around?"

"You never know when you need to spike someone's drink."

Jack grinned. "I like you already."

"As I was saying," Julia continued, "we all have a lot to celebrate today. First of all, we get to add Jack as a member of our social circle!"

Jack now turned to Cole. "I'm not supposed to give a speech or something, am I?"

"No, this is really more for her than it is for you," Cole responded. "She hasn't publicly performed in over two weeks; the Rachel Berry brewing inside of her has to escape somehow."

Jack nodded in understanding as Julia went on. "And we also get to rejoice in Trey and Cameron's victory over the horrible Hank Swanson."

Once again, the newest member of the group turned to his closet confidante. "Explain."

Cole sighed uncomfortably. "Basically, this jerk was saying some racist crap to Cam and Trey. The school board met about it today and found him guilty."

The Abrams boy adjusted his glasses with a look of empathy. "That sucks, guys. I've gotten called 'fag' many a time…not exactly a boost to the self-esteem."

"That's awful," said Cameron. "At least now that you're here, you won't have to put up with those jerks from school."

"…Yeah…those…jerks from school."

Julia cleared her throat, bringing their attention back to her. "I'd like to propose a toast. To our differences bringing us together. To Jack's arrival. And to Cameron and Trey's vindication."

As they raised their glasses, Cameron interrupted. "Oh! And to Trey's new DynamiX band!"

Everyone collectively agreed, and Steph raised her glass a little bit higher. After all, since she was Trey's..."something", wasn't that what she was supposed to do?

"Cheers!" the brunette girl led.

"Cheers!"

The entire group took a drink and felt refreshed...except for one.

"…Hey, my drink tastes kinda funny…"

* * *

And the first chapter after the interludes is up! Hooray! The second half of DynamiX is officially underway, and our friends are in for a _lot_ of surprises. Stick around to find out!

Special thanks goes to WickedSong for giving me the idea of having the scene with Rachel and Beth!

**In the Next Chapter: A discussion of Beth Corcoran raises serious questions for two members of the group. Meanwhile, Jack prepares his audition for Vocal DynamiX.**


	16. Who Am I?

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee...and after hearing some spoilers for Season 4, I don't really want to.

**A/N: I'll apologize for my lateness at the end of the chapter. But for now, enjoy the long overdue update!**

Chapter 12 – Who Am I?

It was about one week into the new semester as Jack Abrams cascaded down the hall in search of his newest "friend." Smiling, he found the boy at his locker.

"Morning, Pretty Boy."

Without even closing the locker door that blocked his view, Cole Hudson knew who was behind it. "Good morning, Jack."

"Listen," the Abrams boy continued, "I'm gonna need you to get a pass out of homeroom with me today. I—"

"Really Jack?" Cole whispered in shock. "My mouth needs a break every now and then...although, I guess if _you_ wanted to give instead of receive, I wouldn't have an issue with it."

Jack smirked. "That's not actually what I wanted, but I like where your mind is, Hudson. It's a bit of a turn-on." The tall boy blushed as Jack laughed at him.

"So, what _do_ you need?" asked Cole.

"Your boy Chang is still trying to get that combo going, right?"

"Combo?"

"Another name for a musical ensemble," Jack clarified.

"Oh yeah, for the glee club!" Cole remembered. "Yeah, I think he's supposed to officially announce it in rehearsals today."

"Perfect," Jack thought aloud. "Because I'll need your help with something…and maybe after that, I could…offer you some of _my_ services, you know? Since you 'don't have an issue with it.'"

"…I kinda hate you, you know that?"

* * *

Everything seemed to pretty normal at the lunch table that afternoon…except for Julia Hummel-Anderson, who had spent the first few minutes of the period staring at Beth Corcoran from across the room.

"Julia, is everything okay?" asked Cameron. "You've been pretty quiet this whole time."

"I was just thinking about Beth," she said distractedly. "We haven't really discussed it in a while, but I've been wondering how the New Directions have been dealing with her introduction into our lives."

"Okay, I _think_ Cole's filled me in on all of your gossip," began Jack. "Beth's your glee club teacher that's also the secret Puckerman love child, right?"

"Right," nodded Cole.

"Hey, I just thought of something," considered Steph aloud. "Remember back on the first day, when Markie came over for lunch?"

"And he hit on his sister?" laughed Anna Maria. "How could we forget that!?"

"Well, Markie said that he was here with Mom and Aunt Quinn. Handling 'unfinished business'…"

"I can't believe we didn't pick up on that!" Julia announced, piggybacking on Steph's theory. "That _must_ have been about Beth!"

"So what are _we_ supposed to do about it?" asked Anna Maria.

"Nothing," Julia replied, her tone having changed from elation to sincerity. "Seriously, this isn't our business. I think that we should butt out…for _real_ this time. Let's allow our parents handle this however they see fit."

As the others nodded in agreement, Trey spoke. "I wonder if she even knows that she's adopted."

"I'm not sure," Steph replied. "But Julia's right. We really shouldn't interfere anymore."

"Yeah, I know," Trey continued, "but that's gotta be weird if she doesn't know…I mean, how can a person have no idea who their parents are?"

Anna Maria shrugged. "It happens, I guess."

"But still," the Asian went on, "not having any idea who your mother and father are? Spending your entire life in mystery without having a clue about your biological origins?"

Cameron, who had been holding Julia's hand, felt her tense up nervously.

"T-Trey, knock it off," Cameron said softly.

"I mean, people have moms and dads. Egg and sperm. I can't imagine how it would feel to not know both parts. I'd hate to be in that position!"

"Seriously Trey, shut up," repeated Cole, now noticing discomfort in Anna Maria's face as well.

"If that were me, I…I just don't know how I could handle that. Not knowing where I came from? Hello identity crisis!"

"Will somebody get this guy a muzzle or something?" Jack asked sarcastically.

"Trey. Shut. Up," Steph told him through gritted teeth.

"Just look at us!" Trey elaborated. He hadn't even heard or seen his friends in his rant. If anything, he was just thinking aloud without even noticing them. "I mean, Cole and Steph have Finn and Rachel. Jack has Artie and his mom. Cameron has Sam and Mercedes. I have Mike and Tina. Jules has Ku—and…A.M. has..."

Finally realizing that he should have stopped talking about a year and a half ago, Trey slammed his head on the table. "Shoot. Me. Now."

"I gotta go," Anna Maria announced, standing up.

"Anna Maria, wait, I'm sorry!" Trey tried to appease.

But she was already gone. And now Julia was standing as well.

"Julia—"

"It's okay, Cameron," Julia interrupted her boyfriend softly. "I'll see you in class."

And Julia left as well. As soon as she was gone, everyone else turned to glare at Trey, whose head was on the table once again in horror.

"Trey, should we even bother telling you how much of an idiot you are?" asked Cole.

His response was said into the table. "Nope. Gunshot straight to the head will be just fine."

* * *

That afternoon, it was the first DynamiX rehearsal of the semester. Trey walked in, Steph at his side, about five minutes before rehearsal was to begin. Among others, they saw an uncharacteristically silent Julia sitting beside a characteristically apathetic Anna Maria.

"I can't believe I said that crap," Trey whispered. "I wasn't trying to get them upset. I honestly forgot that you guys were there; I was just talking to myself."

"I know," replied Steph. "Just apologize to them. The sooner, the better."

Taking a deep breath, Trey nodded and walked toward his friends. "Guys—"

"Drop it, Chang," the Latina interrupted. "We're good."

"I am so unbelievably sorry—"

It was Julia's turn to interrupt. "Trey, everything's fine."

"I was just talking out of my head, and I said a lot of crap—"

Steph tapped his shoulder from behind. "You're forgiven. Now shut up."

The boy turned back to Anna Maria and Julia. "Are you sure?"

They both nodded, Anna Maria speaking on their behalf. "Yeah, now get out of here. You're starting to bug me."

As Trey and Steph took their seats, no one noticing Trey's attempt to grab Steph's hand (or Steph's subtle refusal), Cameron entered and walked over to his girlfriend.

"Hi," he greeted, kissing Julia.

"Hey Cam," she replied softly.

"I saw you guys talk to Trey. Everything okay?"

"Yes, we're fine."

"Because when you got to history class after lunch, you only said a couple of words to me."

"You learn in class, Cameron," she stated as if it were obvious. "That's what school is for."

"…Julia, you know that you can talk to me about this, right?"

"Good afternoon, everyone!"

Cameron looked up from his girlfriend, a little annoyed to have Beth Corcoran interrupt his conversation.

"Before we begin," Beth continued as the group silenced themselves, "I'd like to call Trey Chang up to make an announcement."

One of the glee club members, Tiffany Beale, spoke up. "Didn't he quit? I thought he couldn't sing or dance."

Trey glared at the girl before responding. "You're right, I can't sing, and I can't dance. But I _do_ like music, and I enjoy the guitar a lot. So I talked to Ms. Corcoran, and she's given me permission to start a backup band for the glee club!"

"Like live music while we're singing?" Stacy Nguyen, another member, asked.

"That's great!" announced Tiffany.

"So," Beth concluded. "While Trey won't be singing with you guys anymore, he'll still be an integral part of the team."

Trey spoke again. "And if you know anybody who'd be interested in joining the band, just let me know."

All of the sudden, the sounds of a brief saxophone lick were heard from the hallway. As the class mumbled in confusion, Cole appeared in the doorway holding a boom box. Apparently, no one had noticed that he wasn't even in the room.

"Cole, where have you been?" his sister asked.

"You'll find out, soon enough," he answered. "Ladies and gentlemen, auditioning for Vocal DynamiX on the saxophone, vocally accompanied by yours truly, Mr. Jackson Abrams."

As Trey and Beth took seats, the tall boy pressed a button on the radio, and a very simple instrumental track began to play. Then, the live music sounds began to be heard once more and grew louder as Jack entered the room, playing his soprano saxophone. They seemed impressed with the R&B style of his playing, and when he stopped, Cole picked up with the lyrics of the song.

**_COLE:_**

**_Silence takes over,_**

**_Sayin' all we need to say._**

**_There's endless possibilities_**

**_In the moves we can make._**

**_Your kiss is giving every indication_**

**_If this heart of mine is right._**

**_By the time this night is over,_**

**_The stars are gonna shine on two lovers in love._**

**_And when the morning comes,_**

**_Its gonna find us together_**

**_In a love that's just begun._**

**_By the time this night is over,_**

**_Two hearts are gonna fly to the Heavens above._**

**_And we'll get closer and closer and closer_**

**_By the time this night is over._**

**_A night like this may never come again,_**

**_And you won't want this night to end._**

**_Oh baby, we can have it all,_**

**_By the time this night is over!_**

Throughout Cole's singing, Jack had been improvising in the background and "sneaking" flirty glances at him, but when Cole paused his vocals, it was the saxophonist's time to shine…and shine he did.

"Is anybody else getting turned on?"

"Anna Maria!" whispered Julia strongly. Yet, she didn't deny that Jack was good.

"Meanwhile," Cameron noticed, "has anyone noticed that _Cole_ is singing old school R&B? And doing it _well_, I might add?"

Steph smirked. "White people can have game too, yo."

"…Not when they say stuff like that."

Eventually, Jack led Cole into a key change, and together they reprised the chorus once more to receive a loud ovation at the end of their performance. Beth, who had been sitting on the side of the room, made her way to the boys when they finished.

"That was remarkable! You've got such a remarkable melodic blend; possibly one of the best examples of musical chemistry I've seen. I'm sure that the rest of the group would agree with me in welcoming you to our group, Jack," Beth told the saxophonist, and the DynamiX applauded in agreement.

"Thanks," Jack smiled before he and Cole took their seats.

"Well that was a great way to start off rehearsals," said the instructor. "Now let's get on to practice. Last semester, we decided our set list a little too late for my liking. What I'd like to discuss with you all is some ideas for songs for Regionals."

Jack raised his hand. "I saw you guys at Sectionals, and you were one of the few groups with a central theme. I think that worked in your favor."

"Let's say we have another theme," said Beth hypothetically, taking Jack's suggestion. "Any ideas?"

Julia stood up. "I have the perfect idea. As we all know, the most powerful forms of music come from the Broadway stage. If the Vocal DynamiX were to have _any_ sort of theme, Broadway is the obvious choice!"

The group began to murmur, not really seeming to care one way or another. Trey, however, stood up and walked to Julia.

"I have a suggestion, too," he started. "Sure Broadway's great, but not a lot of people relate to it. I think that if we want to impress the judges _and_ the crowd, we need to do some music that everyone knows and can understand."

"I'll gladly upstage you guys with some more Kenny G solos," prompted Jack.

Trey smiled. "Thanks Jack, but I was thinking a little more classic. Say…the Beatles?"

Suddenly, the Vocal DynamiX grew much louder, incredibly excited at the prospect of singing Beatles classics. Beth resumed control of the group.

"It looks like we have a winner, everyone. We're doing the Beatles for Regionals!"

The group cheered once more. Even Julia, whose idea had been passed over, managed a small smile. Cameron, however, was the only one to notice that it was completely fake.

* * *

"Lord Tubbington, get the hell away from my egg roll."

Anna Maria, who was sitting with her mothers, the newly married Mrs. and Mrs. Lopez-Pierce, snatched her egg roll away from the large cat that was prowling on top of the table. The family was having an early dinner of take-out Chinese food in the Senator's office before Santana's late night meeting.

"Britt, does he _really_ have to be on the table?" Santana questioned slowly, not wanting to offend her wife.

"But San, he's really hungry! You know how he gets this time of the month!"

Anna Maria turned to Santana. "The _male_ cat has periods?"

"Lord Tubbington is a unique freak of nature," her mother whispered back. "Just drop half of your egg roll on the ground for him or something."

"No way! That demon cat always takes my stuff; I swear he's out to get me."

Brittany smiled mockingly. "Come on, A.M. Lord Tubbington loves you."

"Lord Tubbington eats my favorite makeup so I have to keep going back to the store," Anna Maria deadpanned. "He's a little demon is what he is."

Santana, bored with this, snatched her daughter's egg roll, tore off a piece, and dropped it on the floor. As the large cat jumped off of the table to eat, the Senator's daughter was not happy.

"Mami!"

"Thank you, Santana," smiled Brittany. "A.M., you should be nicer to your brother."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, the girl grew silent, and she then remembered what she had wanted to discuss with her parents all day.

"Moms, I need to talk to you about something."

Santana looked up from her plate. "Sure, hon, what's up?"

"Alright…I was just…a little curious about my dad. You know? My birth dad."

The Senator looked hesitant. "Honey…you know that we don't know him personally. We just went to a sperm bank."

"I know," her daughter replied. "But you know his name, right? I was thinking we get his information, and I can try to see him."

"Why do you want to see the sperm guy all of the sudden?" questioned Brittany.

"Um…some things kind of came up at lunch today, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

"Well, A.M.," Santana told her, "I can get the file for you. It's the same one that Britt and I picked out when we were looking for donors. All I can remember it having is his name and medical history, but it _could_ have an address."

Anna Maria smiled. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

"Are you sure that you're ready?" asked Brittany. "To go and see him?"

Their daughter paused before speaking. "Yeah…it's time to know exactly where I came from."

* * *

Meanwhile on the other side of town, Cameron and a silent Julia were seated on the sofa in her living room watching television.

"Juli—"

"Cameron, I'm fine," she said briskly, eyes not moving off of the television screen.

"Then why did you say it all nasty like that?"

"Because this is the fifth time you've asked me that today."

"Because you're not fine!"

"Cameron, I do—"

"You remember everything you said on our first date?" he reminded her. "About being honest with feelings? Well, it works both ways. Julia, I am here for you. You've just got to communicate with me!"

The blonde remained silent for a solid minute before coming up with a response. "I'm mad about this afternoon's practice."

"Because Trey overruled your Broadway idea in glee today?"

"Not just that," she replied. "After Cole and Jack's song…Beth commented on their _musical chemistry_."

"They _did_ have great chemistry," Cameron countered. "Why is that a bad thing for you?"

"I like being in control," Julia told him, still not really looking at him. "It's silly, but I like when I have a say in what goes on."

"So you're saying that you like being the leader?"

"Yes, but…not necessarily…I just like having that _control_…knowing what's going on in my life. I don't like being in the dark. I don't like not knowing…"  
She trailed off, and based off of everything that had conspired that day, Cameron realized the truth about the girl.

"This isn't about DynamiX at all," he said. "You're right. You _do_ like to have control in your life. But you're not talking about the club. You're talking about your birth parents."

"Cam, what are you talking about? I'm not mad at Trey about what he said at lunch." she asked distractedly, seeming to imply that he had pulled that suggestion out of the blue.

"I didn't say that you were," her boyfriend started. "But you can't say that you weren't affected by it."

"Yes, I can say that exactly." She stood up and began to walk up the stairs, and he was right behind her.

"If what Trey said had no effect on you, then why are you walking away from me?"

"Because you're annoying."

"And why did you leave lunch early today?"

"Because…I just felt like it, okay!?"

Now at the top of the stairs, Cameron grabbed Julia's hands softly. "Remember, this is a two-way street. Let me help you, please."

Julia sighed, her stubborn resolve slowly breaking down. "Cam, I don't want to burden you with my insignificant problems."

"One, your problems are not insignificant. Two, you are not a burden. Jules…it…makes me really sad to see you sad…God, that was cheesy."

His girlfriend laughed a little. "I love it when you're cheesy."

Cameron grew serious again. "And _I_ love it when you're honest."

Julia nodded. "You're right. I prefer when you are honest with me with your feelings, so it's only fair that I do the same."

"Don't think of it as an obligation," said Cameron as they walked back down the stairs. "Think of me as…your personal sounding board that you can say anything to with complete trust and without fear of judgment…that was less cheesy, right?"

"I'll listen to either version of you," she answered smiling.

The two were now back on the couch, so Cameron decided to get the ball rolling.

"So, you've been thinking about your birth parents," began Cameron. "My parents told me that your birth mother was inseminated by both of your fathers. Are you trying to figure out which of them is your real dad?"

Julia shook her head. "This isn't about them. Honestly, I don't want to know which of them is my _real_ dad; I consider both of them to be my real fathers."

"Then it's your mom."

"Right," she said softly. "I mean…this woman carried me for nine months. And because one of my fathers inseminated her, I know that she purposely got pregnant with me. I've never even realized it until today, but I just have so many questions."

At that moment, the door opened and Kurt and Blaine Hummel-Anderson entered from the front door.

"Oh!" announced Kurt. "Were we interrupting a special moment? Please say yes."

"Kurt…"

"It's okay," Cameron said as he arose. "I was just leaving."

Julia looked confused. "You were?"

"I've got to get home," he replied, and then added so that only she could hear, "and _you_ need to talk to your dads."

The blonde nodded and gave Cameron a quick kiss. "Thanks for being so great," she whispered. "And I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"No problem," smiled Cameron. "Call me later?"

The girl nodded again, and Cameron kissed her once more before leaving. As soon as he was gone, Julia returned to her awaiting fathers.

"Everything okay, honey?" Kurt asked, noticing her nervous expression.

"Yes, Papa…but I need to discuss something with you and Daddy."

The three sat down on the sofa together, and Blaine spoke on behalf of his husband. "Julia, whatever you need, we're here."

The girl took a deep breath. "I'd like to preface this question with the understanding that I love you both dearly. So very much."

Blaine gave a dark look. "Did Cameron knock you up?"

"Dadd—"

"I swear to God, I'll kill him!"

"Blaine, sit down!"

"I'm not pregnant, Daddy!"

Blaine, now much more relieved, took a seat. "So, what do you need, sweetheart?" he asked peacefully.

"…I'd like you to tell me about my birth mother."

* * *

The next day, Anna Maria found herself in the glee room during homeroom. She was absentmindedly playing a few notes on the piano, when a song came to her.

**_ANNA MARIA:_**

**_I want to be rich, and I want lots of money._**

**_I don't care about clever; I don't care about funny._**

**_I want loads of clothes, and I want loads of diamonds._**

**_I heard people die while they are trying to find them._**

**_And I'll take my clothes off, and it will be shameless,_**

**'_Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous._**

**_I'll look at the sun, and I'll look in the mirror._**

**_I'm on the right track; yeah I'm on to a winner._**

**_(Her back turned to the entrance, Anna Maria fails to notice Julia standing right behind her.)_**

**_I don't know what's right and what's real anymore._**

**_And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore._**

**_And when do you think it will all become clear?_**

**'_Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear._**

As the Latina continued to play the motive on the piano, Julia decided to enter the room. Taking a seat on the bench beside her friend, Julia took the next verse.

**_JULIA:_**

**_Life's about film stars and less about mothers._**

**_It's all about fast cars and cussing each other._**

**_But it doesn't matter 'cause I'm packing plastic,_**

**_And that's what makes my life so fantastic._**

**_And I am a weapon of massive consumption._**

**_And it's not my fault; it's how I'm programmed to function._**

**_I'll look at the sun, and I'll look in the mirror._**

**_I'm on the right track; yeah I'm on to a winner._**

**_I don't know what's right and what's real anymore._**

**_And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore._**

**_And when do you think it will all become clear?_**

**'_Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear._**

**_ANNA MARIA:_**

**_Forget about guns and forget ammunition._**

**'_Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission._**

**_JULIA:_**

**_Now I'm not a saint, but I'm not a sinner._**

**_Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner._**

**_BOTH (in harmony):_**

**_I don't know what's right and what's real anymore._**

**_And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore._**

**_And when do you think it will all become clear?_**

**'_Cause I'm being taken over by the Fear._**

With the song over, Anna Maria turned to the blonde girl. "What are you doing here?"

"You weren't in homeroom, so I volunteered to look for you."

"And you knew I'd be here?"

"Well, when _I'm_ in distress, I often turn to music."

"How did you know that I was distressed?"

"I spent all of last night thinking about the parent that I don't even know. I only assumed that after yesterday, you'd be doing the same."

"Yeah…" she replied in thought. "Did you get any information from your dads?"

"Yes. Apparently, my fathers met this woman when they decided to try having me." Julia pulled out an envelope from her jacket pocket. "Inside this envelope is her name and address. I haven't worked up the nerve to open it…what about you?"

"Ricardo Martinez," she replied simply. "That's his name. No fancy envelopes for me."

"Any other information on him?"

"Not really. He's just a sperm donor that my moms picked out from hundreds. They didn't even know him…but my mom _was_ able to get his address from an old file."

"Do you think you're going to…?"

"See him?" Anna Maria finished. "Hell yeah. It's time to meet this guy. I can feel it. I'm ready to meet him, and nothing's gonna stop me."

"I wish I was as confident as you," Julia sighed.

"Hey, if you're not ready, you're not ready!" said the Latina, her tune changing. "Don't let _me_ be your deciding factor!"

"I guess all of this talk about lost parents has made me feel like I should find mine," Julia told her, looking at the keys of the piano.

"You have her name, or at least, you have it available," Anna Maria said slowly, noticing her friend's apprehension. "Maybe that's enough for right now."

Julia smiled thankfully as she stood up. "I have to get back to homeroom. Are you coming?"

"Sure."

* * *

"Julia, Anna, where have you been?" asked the homeroom teacher, Mrs. Hamilton.

As Anna Maria grumbled over her name being said incorrectly once more, Julia answered for them. "Remember, Mrs. Hamilton? You gave me permission to find Anna _Maria_…and she has a pass from Ms. Corcoran to practice in the choir room."

The Latina tossed her crumpled up pass on the desk and went to sit beside Cole. Julia followed, opting for a seat between Steph and Cameron.

"I swear, if that bitch calls me Anna one more time…"

"Relax, A.M.," said Steph. "You haven't had a detention at all this semester. _Try_ to keep up the streak."

The girl rolled her eyes as Cole spoke to her. "So where were you two, anyway?"

"In the glee room," Julia replied.

Anna Maria added jokingly, "Just discussing the parents that we don't have." Trey shrunk into his seat in humiliation as the Latina continued to smirk.

"Very nice, Miss Lopez-Pierce," noted Jack. "You made him completely embarrassed in only a few seconds."

"Thanks Abrams. I take pride in my work."

"I can do better though."

"Oh yeah? Prove it!"

Nodding his acceptance of her challenge, Jack turned to Cole. "The last time I masturbated, I thought of you."

"JACK!"

While it wasn't an actual admission of their sexual liaisons, it was enough embarrassment to cause Cole to drop his head on the desk as the others laughed.

"Well played, Jacko," conceded Anna Maria. "I'm going to enjoy having you as a challenger."

Shaking her hand, Jack answered. "Thanks, She-Devil. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the little boy's room."

As Jack left, Cole, head still on the desk, couldn't help but be shocked that Jack was _only_ going to the bathroom.

Cameron pulled Cole's head up by his hair the second Jack was gone and asked, "So, are you guys dating or what?"

"What!?"

"Come on, Cole!" added Trey. After the tall boy's spectacle, his own shame was now gone. "He flirts with _you_ more than he has regular conversations with the rest of us combined!"

"And let's not forget that song you did yesterday," Anna Maria reminded him. "You two might as well have been having sex up there."

Cole sighed and mentally prepared the cover story that he and Jack had established. "Jack and I are just friends. He's a flirt…like, a really big flirt. But we both agreed that we're just friends and nothing more."

Trey, Anna Maria, and Cameron all rolled their eyes, and Steph chuckled a response. "Fair enough, little brother."

"Twenty-seven minutes really isn't a big deal."

"Then why do you get pissed every time I bring it up?"

Jack re-entered the room and looked to Trey as he took his seat. "Saw Corcoran on the way back. She said that since we're doing the Beatles, you should go ahead and start looking for more people to join the combo."

Trey looked confused. "Combo?"

Jack sighed, pushing up his glasses. "It means musical ensemble…well, specifically, a musical ensemble with horns. And you clearly need my help in getting this off the ground. I am officially on your recruiting committee."

The Asian looked shocked. "Did you just offer services without me even asking?"

"He does that a lot," Cole announced without even thinking. Luckily, no one caught on to that…except for the widely smirking Jackson Abrams.

"Fine Jack," Trey told him. "You can help me get members for the _combo_. In the meantime, any song suggestions?"

The Latina smirked. "I don't know. Are there any Beatles songs about people without parents?"

As Trey shrank into his seat for a second time, Cameron and Julia turned to her.

"Knock it off, A.M.," said Cameron. "You said you forgave him!"

"I do," she asserted. "But I need to one-up Abrams."

"Leave him alone, honey," Julia softly told her. "We both know he didn't mean anything by that."

"Oh damn, Julia," Trey suddenly realized. "First I said that crap to you at lunch, and then I shot down your Broadway idea in DynamiX…you must freakin' hate me!"

Julia laughed. "No Trey, I don't hate you at all. Admittedly, I was a little upset that afternoon, but it was really just residual anger from earlier that day."

"So what? You guys have been thinking about your parents?" asked Jack.

The blonde girl nodded in the affirmative, once again pulling out the envelope. "I talked to my fathers last night, and they gave me this envelope with all of my birth mother's information."

"And what about your birth _father_?" asked Steph.

Jack looked confused. "You don't know which one it is?"

"No," Julia explained. "You see, like my idol, Rachel Barbra Berry Hudson, I was the result of a dual insemination into a female carrier. And also like my Aunt Rachel, I don't know which of my fathers is my birth father."

Trey turned to Steph. "So…your mom doesn't know which one of your grandfathers is her dad?"

Steph nodded. "Technically speaking, yes."

"But…isn't one of your granddads black?" asked Cameron.

"That's right, my possible brother," joked Cole.

"If you were part black, that would explain so much," whispered Jack into Cole's ear. Cole wanted to be offended and annoyed, but he couldn't help but take Jack's statement as a compliment.

"But anyway," Julia laughed, refocusing everyone, "I don't know which of my fathers is my biological father, but I don't want to know that. What I am interested in is information on my birth mother…and now I have it."

"Well, what are you thinking, Julia?" asked Cameron softly.

"I don't know…the information is literally in my hands…but I'm just not sure." She turned to Anna Maria, silently asking for the attention to be taken away from her.

"Well, _I_ know," Anna Maria said aloud, taking Julia's hint. "My birth dad's name is Ricardo Martinez, and I'm gonna find him."

"How?" Steph questioned.

"I've got his name and address. He lives about fifty miles outside of Cincinnati. I was thinking we take a road trip."

"Awesome!" Trey shouted.

"I can't wait!" echoed Cameron.

The Latina frowned. "Let me rephrase: a road trip for those of us that like penises."

"Cool," grinned Cole.

"I'm in," added Jack.

"Damn, I forgot about you two," grumbled Anna Maria. "One more time: GIRLS ONLY."

"That's us, right?" grinned Steph.

"Last time I checked," replied Julia.

Anna Maria turned to the blonde. "And if and when you're ready to search for your mom, I'll be here for you, Hobbit."

"Thanks," Julia smiled.

"Well that's all fine and dandy," interrupted Trey, "but with you three on a kickass road trip, what are the rest of us supposed to do?"

"Well," started Anna Maria, "since you and Cameron are practically cheating on Steph and the Hobbit and Jack and Coley are basically dating, I'd suggest a massive orgy."

"I'm up for that."

"JACK!"

* * *

Multiple things to say here:

First: I'm SO sorry for taking so long. With the introduction of A.M.'s and Julia's respective parental searches, I essentially have three of the same story going on (because Beth's story isn't quite over), and making them unique and different proved to be a more difficult challenge than I thought.

Next: I sincerely suggest listening to "The Fear" by Lily Allen, but the acoustic version, not the mainstream one. It's such a great song.

Finally: With sophomore year of college rearing its ugly head, I may begin to update less often than I'd prefer, and for that, I apologize in advance. But I promise that this story is not over! Thanks for sticking with it and supporting with reviews and favorites!

FEATURED SONGS:

"By the Time This Night Is Over" by Kenny G and Peabo Bryson

"The Fear" by Lily Allen

**In the Next Chapter: As Anna Maria continues her search for her birth father, Cole and Jack and Steph and Trey make changes in their respective relationships.**


	17. Love Hurts

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I own the college education that has kept me from updating...well, actually since the college and my mother are paying for it, I guess _they_ own it. So what do I own? Well, not Glee, that's for sure.

**A/N: See? I'm not dead! To prove it, here's Chapter 13. And for the record, this series takes place as if anything after Season 3 doesn't exist.**

Chapter 13 – Love Hurts

On one Saturday morning in late January, Finn and Rachel Hudson were having breakfast in their kitchen.

"So, are you going to see Beth again today?" Finn asked.

"Yes," replied Rachel. "She's really a remarkable person, you know. I've enjoyed getting to know her these past few weeks."

"And where does Quinn fit into this equation?"

"I don't want to pressure Beth, Finn," his wife replied. "She doesn't even know that I know who her birth mother is."

"And when she finds out that you _do_ know her?"

Rachel sighed. "Then I hope that she won't be too upset and will be willing to hear a different side of the story."

Interrupting them suddenly was their son Cole, who was too busy laughing at his phone to even notice his parents.

Finn cleared his throat. "Good morning, son."

Cole looked up and suddenly realized that he was in the kitchen. "Oh hey," he said a little distractedly.

"Don't mind him, Dad," an entering Steph Hudson told her father. "He's probably just texting _his boyfriend_ again."

Cole glared at his sister. "He's not my boyfriend, and SHUT UP!"

"Cole has a boyfriend!?" Rachel squealed elatedly.

"No," insisted Cole at the same time that Steph said, "Jack Abrams."

"Artie's son?" said Finn, having heard his daughter and not his son.

"That's who she's talking about, but he's not my boyfriend," Cole repeated.

"Jack and Coley sitting in a tree…" Steph teased.

Cole stood up. "I'm leaving before I make myself an only child."

"I haven't really gotten a chance to get to know Jackson," Rachel said to her daughter after making sure that Cole was gone. "What is he like?"

Steph seemed to struggle to articulate an answer. "He's…not a bad guy. A pretty obvious flirt, but he's not a bad guy. Cole _says_ that they're not dating, but the rest of us still have our suspicions."

"I talked to him once," Finn added, "and I don't really like him around Cole. He just seems…intense."

Steph nodded in agreement. "You're right, Dad. But Cole can handle himself pretty well. And he insists that he's not dating Jack."

"That's a relief, frankly," said Finn. "I know he's Artie's kid and all, but…"

Rachel, sensing the need for a subject change, focused on her daughter. "So where exactly are you girls driving today?"

"Anna Maria said that her birth father's place is about fifty miles north of here," Steph replied, showing her parents the sheet of directions that she was holding.

As Finn and Rachel observed the sheet, Cole reentered the room.

"Can I go out tonight? Jack and I are gonna hang out."

Finn looked skeptical. "I don't know, son…"

"Please Dad?" Cole begged.

"Yeah Dad," Steph grinned smugly. "He wants to see his boyfriend!"

"Okay, seriously, I'm gonna hurt you."

* * *

A couple of blocks away, at the Evans home, Cameron Evans was just opening the front door and saw Trey Chang and his brother Tyler.

"Hey dude, what's up?" he greeted.

"Ty wanted to see Lucy, and I figured that we could hang out, too."

"Sure." Cameron turned to his friend's brother. "I think Lucy's upstairs."

"Your assistance is appreciated," Tyler responded before leaving.

"Seriously, can he not just say 'thank you'?"

Trey shrugged at his friend as he let himself in. "So, I was gonna hang out with Steph, but when I got to her place, Finchel said that she'd be gone for the whole day. What's up with that?"

Cameron looked shocked. Why wouldn't Steph have told him? Weren't they dating?

"Dude…she's with Julia and Anna Maria," Cameron slowly told him. "They're taking that road trip up to see A.M.'s birth father today."

"Oh…and I'm guessing Julia told you this?"

"Yeah," he answered. "We were supposed to hang out today, but A.M. suddenly decided last night that she wanted to go for it now. I can't believe Steph didn't tell you."

"Well, I guess she must have forgotten or something," Trey mumbled.

Reading his friend like a book, Cameron could tell something was wrong. "Trey, how are you and Steph doing?"

Trey plopped down on the couch. "I don't know man. It's just not working out the way it's supposed to."

"I'm sorry, Trey," Cameron replied, sitting down next to him. "You know…I don't think any of us know what you two even are. Are you dating or…?"

"Don't know that either," Trey answered. "We went out on that date once, and it was…alright…I guess…"

* * *

"Our first date was so awkward," Steph was telling Julia and Anna Maria as they drove on the highway.

"Really?" asked Julia. "That's awful!"

"Guess Boy Chang's a dud, huh?" questioned Anna Maria from the passenger seat.

"No, it had nothing to do with Trey," she amended. "It's just…we've been friends for years; dating was so…strange. Was it like that with you, Jules?"

* * *

"Dating Julia isn't really awkward for me at all," Cameron reluctantly told his friend, knowing that that wasn't what he wanted to hear. "I know we were friends first, but there was always a connection with us, even before we made it official."

"So how do Steph and I do that?" asked Trey.

* * *

"You know that you can't force yourself to like him, honey," Julia told her friend.

Steph sighed. "I know that…and I always have."

"Then why don't you end it?" asked Anna Maria simply. "Didn't you two decide at the wedding that if one of you thought it was weird, you'd call it off?"

"Yes," the brunette remembered. "But I don't want to hurt him. He seemed really excited about dating me."

"Aren't you just hurting him more by stringing him along?" noted Julia.

* * *

"Maybe it's just not in the cards, dude," said Cameron. "You can't make yourself like her if you don't…and no offense, but it doesn't really sound like you like her."

"…But we're supposed to date! It makes perfect sense!"

"Why?"

* * *

In the living room of a first floor apartment, Jack Abrams was browsing the Internet for some of the Beatles' best songs when there was a knock at his door. The boy sighed in disgust at having to get up, but he did anyway and opened the door to find a boy his age with long blonde hair.

"Dominic! What the hell!?" Jack greeted with a smile.

"How are you, you son of a bitch?"

Jack gave him a quick hug and let his old friend into his new apartment. "How the hell did you find me?"

"The magic of Google."

"Crazy ass stalker."

"Whatever," Dominic shrugged off. "So where's your pop?"

"With one of his Nude Erections."

"He swings our way now? What'd the divorce do to him?"

Jack laughed and corrected himself. "New Directions, his old high school glee club. A friend of his is trying to get him some job directing his new kids' show. Based off of those _Avatar_ movies."

"I stopped listening after 'Nude Erections,'" the blond smiled.

"Well, it looks like you're here for a purpose," grinned Jack, moving a little closer to the blond boy.

"I didn't drive thirty miles for nothing," Dominic replied, already taking Jack's shirt off.

"So how's Mason and Aiden?" Jack asked, kissing Dominic's collarbone.

"They miss your dick, but that's about it," he replied. "So, you found any new guys up here?"

For about three seconds, Cole Hudson entered Jack's mind. His latest "beneficial friend." But they weren't exclusive. He made that clear with Cole as soon as he moved to Cincinnati. So…it wasn't cheating.

"Yeah, actually," Jack answered inbetween kisses. He and Dominic were now on the couch. "Tall, dark, and handsome. Bit of a newbie, but he's worth it."

"Invite him over," Dominic moaned. "Let's make this a party."

"Maybe next time…you and I need to get reacquainted."

* * *

Elsewhere, Julia, Steph, and Anna Maria were at their destination…apparently.

"Are you sure this is the place, Steph?"

"I'm exactly where you told me to drive," Steph said to Anna Maria.

"It's not…the most _sanitary_ of places," Julia noted nervously.

"Trailer parks usually aren't, Jules," Anna Maria replied as she stepped out of the car.

Steph and Julia got out as well and stood on either side of her. They were standing outside of the trailer that Steph had parked in front of, and for the first time, nerves now overtook Anna Maria's previously persistent determination.

"Are you okay, A.M.?" asked Steph.

The Latina took a deep breath before she answered. "Yeah…you two stay here, okay?"

The girls nodded and stood at the Escalade while Anna Maria went to the trailer. After a second of standing outside silently, she slowly knocked. A few seconds later, the door opened revealing a heavyset woman who clearly was not in the mood to be interrupted.

"What do you want?" the woman asked.

"I'm…I'm looking for Ricardo Martinez."

The woman looked at Anna Maria and then scoffed. "He's dead. Try again tomorrow."

She began to close the door, but the Latina's persistence was back, and she stuck her hand inside to keep the woman from shutting her out.

"Listen lady, I'm serious. I need to see him."

"And _I'm_ serious," the woman replied. "He's dead. Been years now. Is that all?"

"What—no. He can't be dead."

"Sorry," she replied apathetically, preparing to close the door once more.

"But I'm his daughter!"

And finally, Anna Maria had the woman's attention.

"Who. The hell. Do you think you are?"

Maybe it was because she was nervous, or perhaps it was because she had a bit of sympathy for the woman that she assumed was a widow, but Anna Maria responded with much more sensitivity than she normally would have. "I'm Ricardo's daughter. He-he put up his sperm, and my—"

"Holy shit…" The woman put a hand over her mouth in shock, taking a long look at Anna Maria. "You _do_ look like him…and you look the right age…" She then changed her tone from shock to dismissal. "B-but like I said, he's dead."

This time, the large woman, who now appeared to be fairly upset, was able to slam the door without an interruption.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Evans home, Cameron and Trey had just finished watching a movie in the living room.

"I don't care what anyone says," Cameron began, "The first _Jersey Shore: The Animated Series: The Movie_ is the best of the trilogy!"

"Yeah right," replied Trey. "_Attack of the Kardashians_ is awesome!"

"What about the third one?"

"_Jersey Shore: The Animated Series: The Movie, Part III: Seed of Snooki_?"

"Yup."

"Haven't seen it in a couple of years, actually," Trey remembered.

"I think that Lucy has my copy," said Cameron, standing up. "Let's go check."

Trey nodded, and the pair made their way up the stairs to Lucy's closed bedroom door.

"That's weird," Cameron thought aloud. "Luce never closes her door."

Cameron would later regret not knocking before entering. Because no one wants to see their thirteen-year-old sister making out with the neighbor boy.

"What the hell!?" screamed Cameron, entering the room, mentally thankful that both of his parents weren't home.

"Will you relax, Cameron?" Lucy sighed, separating herself from Tyler Chang. "We were just…doing a little experiment."

"You're thirteen!"

Trey put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Dude, maybe you ought to calm down a little."

"Calm down!? CALM DOWN!? My baby sister was making out with a _guy_!"

"Yeah, I know. It was my baby brother!" Trey countered.

"Then _you_ should be as pissed as me! Join me, won't you?"

"Will the two of you please calm down?" asked Tyler boredly. "If it makes you feel better, Lucy and I were not fornicating."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Cameron groaned, taking a seat on Lucy's bed.

"So, are you two _dating_ now or something?" asked Trey awkwardly.

"I suppose so," Tyler thought mechanically. "This is how teenage relations work, correct?"

Trey and Cameron looked confused, so Lucy elaborated for her often overly verbose companion. "Ty and I were talking, and we figured that since we're teenagers now and we're already friends, it's only natural that we start dating."

"…I _guess_ that makes sense…" Trey considered.

"No it doesn't!" Cameron insisted. "Are you saying that you two want to date just because you're both teenagers and friends?"

"Well, yeah," answered his sister. "And our parents are friends, so it's was only a matter of time. Look at you and Julia! And Steph and Trey!"

"Lucy," said Cameron softly, "Julia and I are dating because we have feelings for each other, not because our parents are friends. Hell, do you even _like_ each other like that?"

Lucy and Tyler looked at each other for a second before shrugging with dual "I dunno" expressions.

"But as Lucy and I are both thirteen," Tyler explained, "we are teenagers. And therefore, dating is a necessity. Correct?"

"No, not correct," Cameron answered. "There's not any set age to start dating. You date because you like someone, not because you want to say that you're dating."

Lucy gave a look of realization. "Is that why you and Anna Maria went out?"

"That never happened," he replied instinctively.

"Cameron…"

"Okay fine," he conceded. "That's why we went out. I just wanted to say that I had a girlfriend. But in the end, it wasn't fair to either one of us…and of course, there was the added risk of catching multiple STD's from her."

As Lucy smirked at her brother, Tyler looked inquisitive. "I believe that my companion and I need to discuss the ramifications of our potentially destructive romantic liaison."

"He means we need to talk," Lucy translated. "So get out."

After forcefully being pushed out of the girl's bedroom and having the door slammed at their backs, Cameron turned to Trey.

"Dude, you were pretty quiet in there," Cameron noted. "Still freaked out by what we just saw? I got some soap if you need to scrub your eyes."

"No it's not that," Trey said, a little distracted. "It's about what you said back there…about dating."

"And?"

"And maybe I'm in it for the wrong reasons."

* * *

Several miles away, Anna Maria, Julia, and Steph were in a local diner finishing up a late lunch. The Latina had been grumbling to herself angrily the entire time.

"—upid bitch doesn't know what she's talking about…stupid ugly ass shirt…food in her hair…damn liar…so fuc—"

"People are starting to stare at us," Julia whispered to Steph.

"I know." The brunette focused on Anna Maria. "Hey A.M.?"

"How the hell is he dead?" she blurted out. "We have his official records, right? They had his address and everything!"

"Honey, the sheets that your mothers gave you are as old as you are," Julia said empathetically. "Over the course of sixteen years…well, anything could have happened."

"Shit," Anna Maria whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Steph hesitated. "Do you…maybe want to call your moms?"

"No," she grumbled. "I wanted to do this on my own; that's why I didn't have them come with me in the first place."

Julia frowned with empathy. "Anna Maria, I'm so sor—"

"Let's just get out of here."

The Latina stood up and went to the exit of the diner. Her dreams were crushed. For the past couple of weeks, she was determined to find her father. Julia had seemed pretty apprehensive about her mom, but not her. Anna Maria was only focused on finding her dad. It was her main mission. And she failed…well, she didn't actually fail; after all, she did find him…somewhat. Truthfully, she didn't have any specific questions for the man; she really just wanted to see his face or maybe hear his voice. Did they have the same eyes? The same smile? Was _he_ the reason she had that birthmark above her hip? She'd never know now.

"Hey girlie! Hold on a minute!"

Recognizing the gravelly voice, Anna Maria looked over to the bar of the diner and found the woman from the trailer park. With a bit of suspicion, she walked over to her.

"Did you follow me here or something?" the Latina questioned.

"Sorta," the woman replied embarrassedly. "I've been sittin' over here for about ten minutes…couldn't work up the nerve to come over to ya."

"Look, I'm really not in the mood—"

"Just sit down, J. Lo."

The girl turned around to her friends, who were cautiously standing at the booth where they had just eaten. Giving them an "it's okay" look, she took a seat beside the woman.

"So why exactly did you follow me, um…"

"Velma."

"Okay Velma," Anna Maria continued. "You kick me out of the trailer park, and then you follow me?"

"I guess I felt bad about earlier," Velma shrugged. "Seein' you in the flesh was kind of a shock."

"So, you knew that he put up his…made a donation?"

"Yeah…it was supposed to be for me." Anna Maria was too surprised to respond, so the woman kept going. "Ricky and I were married for about five years. Wanted kids, but it just didn't work out, so he put up some of his junk. We were gonna look into some of that in-vitro crap, but everything got too stressful…we started fightin' and ended up gettin' separated."

"I'm sorry," the Latina replied softly.

Velma shrugged it off. "Don't worry 'bout it. We got back together a year later. But things got tough for him in that year we were apart…we were already livin' paycheck to paycheck, and without my money, he was strapped for cash. Ended up havin' to put the sperm up for sale instead of keepin' it on reserve. By the time we got back together and wanted to try for a kid again…well, I guess _you_ were already in the oven."

Anna Maria was about to ask if they ever tried again, but Velma answered her before she could speak. "We were gonna talk about havin' kids…startin' up again, you know? But then we got in a car accident on the way home from the sperm bank…he didn't make it."

"Velma, I-I don't know what to say."

"I guess that's why I got so pissed off at ya," she said to her coffee cup, probably expecting the girl beside her to listen anyway. "You…you were supposed to be mine. And damn it all if you don't look just like him."

"I'm sorry," the young girl repeated, feeling a large amount of sympathy for the widow. "Maybe coming here was a mistake."

"Don't apologize, kid…wait, what's your name?"

"Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce."

"Lopez-Pierce? Like that State Senator?"

"Yeah," she replied cautiously, not prepared to deal with a political disputer. "She's…_one_ of my moms."

Surprisingly, Velma began to laugh. "Hot damn! If Rick knew that his daughter was bein' raised by hot lesbians, he'd have a freakin' field day!"

They both laughed loudly, and Julia and Steph, who had been watching from a distance the entire time, finally smiled.

"So I guess he supported gay rights, huh?" Anna Maria joked.

"With women, and especially if he could watch them 'support' each other," she answered with a grin.

They smiled for a few more seconds before Anna Maria asked another question. "What was he like? If you don't mind my asking."

"I don't mind. He was your dad after all," she replied softly. "Rick was…probably the sweetest guy I ever met. Pretty quiet unless he had something important to say. We met when I moved up here from Alabama after high school. He was wise as hell…I'm a bit of a straight shooter, and he always knew how to calm me down. He kinda had that effect on people. Just walkin' into a room and makin' everybody happy."

Anna Maria couldn't help but smile. The way that Velma described her father sounded just like her closest friend.

"Velma…um…thanks for this," Anna Maria managed to say. "I-I get that this isn't exactly easy for you. I guess I appreciate it."

"No prob," Velma replied. "Just realized that you were just a girl who wanted some answers…It just brought back a lot of memories is all. Couldn't quite handle that back at the trailer. Oh, by the way, I got you somethin'."

Velma interrupted herself to reach into one of her jacket pockets and soon pulled something out.

"You should have this."

The girl silently took the small picture from Velma's hand and observed it. In the picture was a cherry red Ferrari at a car show. But her eyes were only on the smiling man with his thumbs up standing in front of the car. Her father, a skinny Puerto Rican man of short stature. She would never get to meet him…but at least now she knew what he looked like.

* * *

Later that evening in the Hudson home, Rachel and Finn were lounging on their couch. Seeing Rachel's pained expression, Finn questioned her. "Honey, is everything okay?"

"Yes…it's just…I really need to get in touch with Quinn, but she hasn't answered her phone…" Rachel trailed off, but she then added suddenly, "And I was thinking about maybe visiting her sometime next week."

"She's probably just busy or something; I'm sure everything's alright," Finn attempted to comfort. Observing his wife, Finn noticed her hasty distress. "Does this sudden need to visit Quinn have anything to do with your lunch with Beth?"

Rachel sighed. "Um….could we please drop this? I feel uncomfortable betraying her trust."

Finn exhaled and put an arm around Rachel as an apologetic gesture. Just as they were beginning to get comfortable, the doorbell rang.

"I got it guys!" Steph announced, rushing down the stairs.

"Who the hell could it be?" Finn whispered to his wife. "It's almost ten o'clock."

Finn heard his answer through an awkward response from his daughter at the front door. "Oh…hi Trey."

"Can we talk?" Rachel and Finn heard Trey ask.

After a couple of seconds, Steph poked her head into the living room. "Trey and I are gonna talk outside. Is that okay?"

"Sure honey," Rachel responded.

"No making out," Finn insisted.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Steph turned around and went onto the front porch swing where Trey was waiting, paying no attention to the fact that her mother was entering the kitchen to answer an incoming phone call from Quinn Fabray-Puckerman.

* * *

"So…" Steph began as she took a seat. "What's u—"

"I don't think we should try to date anymore."

"Oh thank God!"

"It's not you, but—"

"We're too close as friends, and—"

"Dating you is just—"

"Me too! And just because we're friends—"

"Doesn't mean that we need to be anything more."

The now ex-boyfriend and girlfriend remained silent for a few comfortable seconds before Trey spoke up. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry that I couldn't like you in the way that you deserved."

"Me too," Steph replied.

"Let's just pretend this never happened?" Trey suggested.

"No," Steph answered. "We remember this and grow stronger as friends."

"That sounded lame as hell."

"Shut up."

Trey laughed and then posed another question. "How exactly did you realize that we wouldn't work?"

Steph only thought for a couple of seconds. "I knew the whole time…ever since you asked me out."

"And you didn't say anything?"

"I wanted to give you a fair shot," she answered sheepishly. "And then…you just seemed so interested that I didn't have the heart to let you down…I'm sorry. That's not really fair to you."

"Don't be sorry," Trey responded. "Today I realized that I only dated you just to say that I had a girlfriend. I guess you seemed like the optimum choice."

"Because Jules has Cam and A.M. is scary?"

"Yup."

The brunette laughed. "How'd you finally figure it out?"

"Cameron and I caught Tyler and Lucy making out. When Cam explained to them that dating is less about public appearances and more about feelings, I realized that we were just forcing a relationship out of feelings that weren't even there...and I also realized that…I wasn't being really fair to you either."

Steph smiled. "It's okay. So did Lucy and your brother…?"

"Realize that, like you and I, they literally had no romantic feelings for each other, whatsoever? Thankfully, yes."

"Cool. But for the record, the fact that you learned this lesson from two thirteen-year-olds is totally lame, and I will probably be holding this over your head for a while."

"Just like the way my mom makes me try on dresses for the boutique?" the boy groaned in response.

Steph gasped. "I actually forgot about that!"

"…Damn."

* * *

"How are you feeling, kid?" Santana Lopez-Pierce asked as she and her wife entered Anna Maria's bedroom that evening.

"I don't really know, Mami," the girl replied, her eyes not leaving the picture of Ricardo Martinez and the Ferrari. As she sat on the bed, several other pictures were scattered around her. Baby pictures, elementary, high school, everything.

"Is your birth dad a photographer?" asked Brittany. "Because Santana and I could use him the next time we have sex…so in like twenty minutes."

"Brittany!"

"What?"

"No, he's not a photographer, Mom," Anna Maria smiled. "He was a mechanic. His wife gave me the pictures."

Her mothers sat down on either side of her, and Santana spoke up. "I'm sorry he's gone, sweetheart."

"It's okay, I guess," her daughter responded. "It's not like I knew him…"

Brittany, trying to ease the situation, made a suggestion. "I know what will cheer you up!" She looked to the open doorframe and yelled loudly, "LORD TUBBINGTON!"

"Oh no…" Santana playfully punched her now groaning daughter as the fat cat waddled into the room and leapt onto the bed…after several attempts. The cat walked over to Brittany and smothered himself in her lap before looking at Anna Maria with a deep glare.

"I swear that thing hates me," the girl growled.

"Don't be silly!" Brittany argued. "You're brother and sister!"

Anna Maria rolled her eyes as the cat began to paw at one of the pictures on the bed.

"See?" Brittany forced softly. "He's not even tearing up the picture!"

"It was nice of that Velma chick to give them to you," Santana noted.

"Yeah it was," Anna Maria agreed. "For being completely blindsided by my arrival, she was pretty all right. She even let me borrow these pictures long enough to get copies of them. I'm going back up there in a couple of weeks to return them."

"Do you want us to go with you next time?" asked Santana. "I know you said that you wanted to do this on your own, but—"

"I want you to come," the girl interrupted. "In fact, I shouldn't have asked you not to come today…I know that I didn't know him, but…it was still hard learning that I never would."

Santana and Brittany held her closer as Brittany asked a question. "What did the wife say about him?"

"The way Velma described him…he sounded just like Cole. A quiet, sweet person that got along with everyone."

"Have you had a chance to talk to him about this?" questioned Santana.

"No; he stayed inside to do homework, so I didn't want to disturb him. But I _did_ talk to Steph earlier, and she said he was spending the night at Jack's tonight."

"With Artie still at work?" a shocked Santana asked.

"He's not at home?"

"No," Santana confirmed. "I just got off the phone with Mercedes before I came in here. Sam and Artie have been gone all day working on that _Avatar_ cartoon series."

"I bet they're having sweet boy kisses," Brittany giggled as Lord Tubbington purred from her lap.

Anna Maria shook her head. "Cole said that they aren't even dating. Jack may be kinda pervy, but I highly doubt Cole would get wrapped up with him."

* * *

"We…we just had sex."

"We've had sex before," Jack countered.

"Yeah, but some people say that oral sex isn't really sex…but _now_…we _definitely_ had sex…"

Jack turned on his side to look at Cole. The two teens were in the Abrams apartment, specifically Jack's bedroom, both without a drop of clothing. "Are you okay? Everything feeling alright?"

Cole nodded. "Yeah…I'm fine."

"It's just…I know it can really hurt the first time. Damn, maybe I should have let _you _top _me_."

"Really Jack, I mean, don't get me wrong…it still hurts. But I'm okay."

"Hell, I bottomed earlier today; I could have done it again. Maybe you weren't ready for the pain."

Cole was taken aback. "What!?"

"What?" Jack asked, not knowing he did anything wrong. "You knew that an old friend of mine came over today."

"Yeah," Cole repeated, "an old _friend_."

"I have very few male friends that are 'just' friends," Jack made clear with a grin. "Besides, we're not exclusive, remember?"

"I know," Cole sighed. "It's just weird…"

Jack frowned, not really seeing where Cole was going with this. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah. Just…thinking, I guess."

Jack shrugged his shoulders in acceptance and got out of the bed, slipping on some athletic shorts. "I'm gonna go grab a soda from the fridge; you want something?"

"No thanks," Cole answered softly.

Jack shrugged slightly, gave the tall boy a flirty grin, and left the room.

"I…just had…sex," Cole whispered to himself. "I just had sex for the first time…and the guy I slept with just had sex earlier today…" Tears began to fill Cole's eyes. "What the hell does that make me?"

* * *

Told you I'd be back! Once again, I apologize for my absence. College often equals less free time, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Unfortunately, I cannot promise when the next update will be available, but I'll let you know that it'll be a rather long interlude that concludes Beth Corcoran's storyline.

Special thanks goes to Brittana132 for helping me with the new story cover!

**In the Next Interlude: With Rachel's help, Beth decides that it is time to meet the Puckerman family, with a different reaction coming from each member.**


	18. Interlude: Beth

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: During my mini-hiatus, I decided to take a road trip to California to try and seize ownership from Glee away from FOX and Ryan Murphy. After countless hours of battle–including guns, swords, flamethrowers, and for a brief moment, Clark Kent-esque superpowers–I sadly lost, and Murphy is still the owner, while I, alas, have nothing...except this story...and my characters. :)

**A/N: In light of Quinn Fabray's return to Glee last night, here's an interlude dedicated to her and her daughter. This is set after (and slightly during) the previous chapter, "Love Hurts." (and remember, Season 4 never happened in my world)**

Interlude – Beth

Beth Corcoran smiled as she took a seat at her breakfast table. Her mother Shelby sat across from her.

"So, how much longer will you be in town, Mom?"

"Probably another week at the most," Shelby replied, taking a bite of her eggs. "I've been visiting with you ever since Sectionals, and as fun as it's been, I've got to get back to work; after all, I've got a lot of workshops across America. If you make it to Nationals, perhaps I can train your DynamiX."

"That'd…be nice," she replied cautiously, already feeling sorry for her students at the wrath of her mother.

"Now, what are you going to be doing today?" Shelby asked. "Surely you won't be sitting around here watching me work on my musical compositions."

"No," Beth chuckled. "I've…actually got lunch plans."

"With who?"

"Um…with Rachel."

Shelby awkwardly looked at her food. "H-how is she doing? You've been seeing her a lot lately, correct?"

"Yes I have, and she's doing fine. You could join us if you wa—"

"No thank you," the older woman replied quickly. "Like I said…I've got a lot of preparations to make before I start travelling to various schools again...but…send her my regards."

Beth sighed, knowing that Rachel probably wouldn't get anything more than "regards." "I'll let her know you said hello."

"It's strange that you two have become so close over these past few weeks," Shelby commented.

"When you think about it, it's not too strange at all," Beth answered. "We both…have similar backgrounds."

"Coming from adoptive homes?"

"Yes…," Beth trailed off, followed by a sudden, "Hey Mom?

"Yes dear?"

"Nevermind."

And suddenly, everything grew awkward, and this time, it was Beth's turn to stare at her plate of food.

Shelby rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Beth Maureen Corcoran, if I've taught you nothing at all, I've taught you to not beat around the bush when you want something. Seize the day! Don't let people walk all over you!"

"Will you relax?" Beth groaned. "It's not like we're at a political rally. I just want to ask you a question."

Shelby grinned. "Then ask."

"Okay." Beth took a breath and began to speak very quickly. "So Rachel and I have been talking a lot these past few weeks, and she's been telling me about her experiences with you, or lack thereof, but whatever. Anyway, she's helped me sort out a lot of things in my own life, and I've realized that it's time for me to learn more about who I am. This has been a difficult decision to come to, but I'm ready to know about my birth mother."

As Beth exhaled and caught her breath from her quick and lengthy speech, she expected her mother to ignore her inquiry. And when Shelby silently stood up and walked out of the room, Beth was sure that her mother was infuriated. Who was she kidding? Shelby would _never_ want to talk to her about this!

A yell from the living room. "Beth, are you going to come in here or what?"

Confusedly, Beth stood up and entered the living room to find her mother seated on the couch, holding a portfolio.

"What are you holding, Mom?" Beth asked, taking a seat.

"Inside this folder," Shelby replied, "is everything that you need to know about your birth mother."

"And you just happened to have this with you?"

"You can be rather spontaneous, honey. I've always had a feeling that this question would come forth rather randomly."

"Wow…so what all is in here?"

"Her name and address, some rather old pictures, her friends from school, her current family—"

"Family?" Beth questioned.

"I believe she has a son," Shelby replied softly, knowing that this was hard for her daughter to take in. "Honey, are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes," the blonde replied immediately. She took the folder from her mother and slowly opened it. On the first page was a picture with a handwritten caption underneath. Recognizing the writing as her adoptive mother's, Beth read the words.

"Quinn Fabray."

* * *

As Rachel Berry Hudson approached her favorite outdoor café to have lunch, she was shocked to find a seated Beth Corcoran looking a little upset.

"Beth, is every—"

"Quinn Fabray."

Rachel paled and took a seat. Clearly, Beth had finally discovered the truth, but she needed to play it cool. After all, Beth didn't know that Rachel knew.

"And I know that you already knew, Rachel."

But on the other hand, maybe she did.

"Beth, I'm sorry," Rachel started. "I wanted to tell you…for your sake _and_ Quinn's. But I knew that you just weren't ready."

The blonde woman nodded reluctantly. "I know; you're right."

"How did you find out?"

"I finally decided to ask my mother. Not only did she tell me, but she also showed me some pictures from an old McKinley yearbook. I recognized you in some of them, and my mom told me that you knew each other. She sends her regards by the way."

At the mention of her own birth mother, Rachel's expression was a combination of delighted contempt and awkward discomfort. She decided to refocus on the younger woman. "Beth, I'm so sorry that I kept this from you. It just wasn't my place to say anything."

"I know. I'm not mad…actually that's a lie, I'm a little mad." Then Beth suddenly smiled. "But I know how you can make it up to me."

"How?"

"Take me to see her."

* * *

Later that evening, Rachel's mind was still racing, and all she wanted to do was talk to Quinn, who hadn't answered her phone all day. She would have been worried if she had not received a quick text from the woman explaining that she was working all day and wouldn't be able to talk until that night.

So when her blonde friend _finally _called her, Rachel sighed in relief as she left for the kitchen.

"Quinn, thank God!"

"I'm sorry, Rachel," she heard Quinn say. "The practice has been really busy today; I couldn't catch a minute. Is everything okay?"

"Well…you should really sit down." After hearing a few sounds of a chair scooting across a floor, she continued. "As you may or may not know…I had lunch with Beth today."

The nervous voice was hesitant to respond. "…And?"

"And…she knows who you are," Rachel finished. "But more importantly, she wants to see you. I was thinking that she and I come up to Boston in the next few weeks?"

Rachel could have sworn that she heard the sound of a phone dropping followed by a distant, yet loud, scream of "PUCK!"

"Quinn! Are you okay? Honey!"

A different voice, this time male, responded to her. "Aunt Rach, is that you?"

"Hello Mark," Rachel greeted quickly. "Where is your mother?"

"No idea," Quinn's son answered. "Me and Dad heard Mom screaming, she started stuttering about some Beth chick, and then Dad shoved the phone in my hand and made me leave the ro—" There was a sudden pause. "…and now I think he wants me to give it back. Guess I'll talk to you later."

The confused Rachel Berry Hudson heard another shuffling sound before a third voice began speaking. "Berry, what the hell is going on?"

"Where is Quinn?" Rachel anxiously questioned Noah Puckerman.

"I'm right here, Rachel," Quinn's soft voice answered. "You're on speakerphone."

"Okay." Rachel took a deep breath and then repeated her news. "I had lunch with Beth today. She knows that the two of you are her biological parents…and she wants to meet you."

"No."

"Puck!"

"Q, no! I-I just can't. I can't see her…sorry."

Rachel remained silent as she heard the sounds of footsteps leaving the room. Realizing that Puck had stormed out, she spoke up softly. "Quinn, are you still there?"

"Yes," she replied clearly, no longer on speakerphone. "And _I'm_ ready. How soon can you be here?"

"Beth and I could come up next weekend," Rachel suggested. "She told me that she's basically free until it gets closer to Regionals."

"Next weekend it is."

* * *

The following Saturday found Noah Puckerman entering his son's bedroom to find the spiky-haired teenager at his computer desk doing homework.

"Markie, thanks for lending me your cologne. Your mom totally sexed me up last night."

"TMI, Dad," Mark answered in a dull tone, his eyes not leaving his computer screen.

Puck peered over his son's shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Project for school," the boy explained. "I've got to research my family's heritage, and I'm just finishing up Mom's side…hey, you're Jewish, right?"

"Born and raised!" he replied proudly. "How can I help you?"

"I think I've got enough to scrape a D-plus on this thing…got anything that'll bump it up to a C-minus?"

"Sure, bubbe. Whatever you need!"

Mark frowned. "Dad, I've seen enough episodes of _The Nanny_ to know that 'bubbe' means 'grandmother.'"

"Really? I thought it meant 'bubba.' Damn."

"Okay…gotta get another Jew," Mark realized as his dad scowled. "Hey, when's Aunt Rach supposed to get here?"

"I-I think another couple of hours," Puck stuttered nervously. Mark still had no idea about Beth. Puck assumed that Quinn would tell their son when she arrived, but they had not mentioned her impending visit since Rachel's phone call almost one week ago.

Mark grumbled, apparently not catching his father's nervous tone. "I can't wait that long…but speaking of Rachel, I guess I can hit up one of the twins on Skype…either way, I've gotta be done before my date tonight."

"A date? What about A.M.?"

The spiky-haired teen sighed. "She doesn't want me, Dad. Gotta move on. Besides, there's plenty of other fish in the sea, right?"

"That's my boy!" Puck congratulated, slapping his son on the back. "Get as many girls as you can while you're young!"

"…Should I file this under 'Things not to tell Mom you said'?"

"If you want us to stay married."

* * *

Meanwhile, Quinn Fabray-Puckerman was pacing in her bedroom while making a phone call.

"Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pi—"

"Hello?"

"Mercedes, thank God!" Quinn sighed, plopping onto the bed.

"Hey Quinn," Mercedes greeted warmly.

"They're going to be here in less than three hours!" she told her surrogate sister, getting straight to the point.

"How are you feeling?" the woman replied cautiously.

"Truth?" Mercedes's silence prompted her to continue. "I'm freaking out. For years, I've been dreaming of this, and now that it's finally happening…oh God!"

"Quinn, honey, just calm down," Mercedes soothed. "Now what are you nervous about?"

"What if she hates me? What if she resents me? Or Puck? I just want her to know that I _do_ love her. That's the main reason behind my giving her up…I couldn't give her the life she deserved."

"Just tell her that," the woman on the other line replied. "Relax and everything will be fine. Plus, you'll have Rachel and Puck there for support."

Quinn scoffed. "Well, I've have _Rachel_."

"Puck still not okay with this?"

"I wouldn't know," she answered in a blasé tone. "We haven't really talked about it since Rachel told us she was coming."

"That's not good, Quinn."

"Mercedes…," whined Quinn playfully.

"Q, you need to talk to your husband."

"Talk to me about what?"

A startled Quinn jumped and noticed a confused Puck standing in the door. Mentally cursing herself for putting Mercedes on speakerphone, she stumbled an answer together. "T-talk to you about when we're g-going back to Cincinnati."

"That's a damn lie," came the voice from the phone. "You need to talk about Beth!"

Quinn glared at her phone. "Gotta go, 'Cedes."

"Talk to him, Quinn."

"Bye-bye!"

"Talk to him!"

The former head Cheerio ended her call and slowly looked to Puck, whose nervous expression had now returned.

"Puck—"

"I'm gonna go take a walk."

"Will you be back to see Beth?"

"…I-I don't know, Quinn. Sorry."

His wife sighed sadly. "I guess I understand…but I really hope that you will."

Puck nodded before kissing his wife on the cheek and leaving the room.

* * *

"Yes, honey, the taxi should get us there in the next few minutes…see you soon."

Rachel hung up the phone as the young woman beside her took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Beth nodded. "I'm ready. And I know I've been taxing your time for the past few weeks, but I truly appreciate you, Rachel. All of your advice and especially coming all this way to support me."

"Of course, Beth. I'm just glad I could impart some of my wisdom on you. Not many people appreciate it, after all."

"So _that's_ where Julia gets it," the blonde woman thought to herself.

"Oh, here is the house, driver!" said Rachel to the taxi driver, interrupting Beth's musings. "The one with the brick mailbox!"

During the time it took for the driver to pull over, Rachel to pay him, and the two of them to step out of the taxi with their small suitcases and walk to the front door, the only thing going in and out of Beth Corcoran's mind was "It's time. It's time. It's time. It's time."

"It's time," she finally said aloud.

"Are you sure you're ready?" asked Rachel, her hand already going for the doorbell.

Beth nodded for a final time, and Rachel rang the bell. For a few seconds, there was silence. Both of their eyes on the door in front of them. When it opened, they found Mark Puckerman in a ratty T-shirt and gym shorts absentmindedly chewing on a celery stalk with peanut butter.

"Oh hey, Aunt Rach," the boy greeted mid-chew.

"Hello Mark," Rachel greeted with a smile, not noticing Beth's facial expression of déjà vu.

"Hey, you look a little familiar," Mark noted, now looking at the strange woman beside his mother's friend. "I…feel like I've hit on you, but I can't really tell."

"Oh my Barbra," whispered Rachel.

"Please," Beth said very slowly, "tell me that this is the neighbor boy."

"Not exactly…this is Quinn and Puck's son, Mark."

"Oh God!"

And with that, Beth Corcoran proceeded to drop her bags, run to the nearest bush, and begin to vomit profusely. The loud ruckus caused Quinn to rush to the door.

"Rachel!? Wha-what's going on? Where's B—"  
Quinn was cut off by Rachel's awkward forwarding towards Beth, whose vomiting was now replaced with dry heaving.

"Dear God, what happened?" Quinn whispered softly.

"The hot babe saw me and threw up," Mark told his mother. "Not exactly sure if that's a compliment or not."

* * *

About ten minutes later, Beth uncomfortably entered the Puckerman kitchen where Quinn, Rachel, and Mark were waiting.

"I-I'm so sorry," Beth stuttered. "It-it's just,"

"It's okay," Quinn told her. "I'm sure you were nervous already…and with finding out that _Mark_ hit on you, it…was a lot to handle at once."

"Once again, don't know if I should be offended or not."

At that moment, Quinn realized it: With everything going on, no one had told Mark about his long-lost sister. The woman grew red-faced in her embarrassment, but she didn't have long to dwell on this, because she soon heard the front door slam…Puck was home.

"I-I'll be right back," the woman said quickly, soon escaping and stopping her husband at the door before anyone could see his arrival.

"What's up, Q?" he asked strangely.

"Beth is here," she whispered.

Puck's face paled, and Quinn took his hand and led him into the living room where they could speak a little more clearly.

"I know that you're not quite ready to see her, and that's fine," Quinn explained. "But I need you to do me a huge favor."

"What?"

"…Can you explain everything to Mark? I-I just realized that he doesn't know anything! How could I have not told him by now!? I mean, what kind of mother _am_ I? Did you know that he _hit on her_ while we were in Cincinnati!? He hit on his sister, Puck! And it's _my_ fault for not telling him that he even had one! What the he—"

"Hey, hey, hey!"

A now calmer Puck put his hands on his wife's shoulders to calm her down before continuing. "This isn't your fault. Markie's got my genes. He'll hit on anything. And I'll talk to him."

"Thank you so much," his wife replied, giving her husband a kiss.

Puck began to make his way into the kitchen to retrieve his son, but he then stopped dead in his tracks at realizing what _else_ he was about to see…what he wasn't quite ready to see. Quinn caught on and ran ahead of him.

"Why don't you go on up to Mark's room, and I'll send him to you?"

"Thanks, Q."

After sending Puck away, Quinn slowly returned to the kitchen.

"Is everything okay?" asked Rachel.

"Yes," she nodded, and then she looked at the teenager. "Son, your father wants to talk to you upstairs."

Mark nodded and then turned to Beth, who he had been sitting beside. "Until we meet again, hot mama."

All three women grimaced as the boy left the room, Beth quickly reaching for her bottle of water and taking a sip.

"M-maybe we should go sit on the patio," suggested Quinn. "Get some fresh air."

* * *

"What's up, Dad?"

Puck, nervously seated backwards in his son's computer chair, looked up as Mark entered. "Come sit down…I-I gotta talk to you about something."

* * *

Meanwhile, now situated in Quinn's comfortable backyard, the mood was anything but comfortable. Rachel was seated between Beth and Quinn at a small table, with both blondes facing each other…or they _would_ have been facing each other if they both weren't staring at the table.

But Rachel Barbra Berry Hudson would have none of this. "Ladies, I realize that Beth's…'sudden illness' prevented the two of you from having a proper introduction, so I suggest that we begin doing so.

"Straight to the point as always, huh Rachel?" deadpanned Quinn.

Beth chuckled at her biological mother's joke, and Quinn smiled. It was a start, right?

"Now I think—" Rachel's thought was cut off by her ringing cell phone. "Oh, it's Finn! I'm going to take this in the kitchen; be back in a few minutes!"

Rachel stood up to leave, but she then made an amendment. "And if I could make one final acting suggestion…if all else fails, improvise!" The brunette woman reentered the house, leaving the two blonde women alone.

"I'll bet one thousand dollars that Rachel put an alarm on her phone to go off at this exact moment, and it didn't even actually ring," suggested Quinn.

Beth smiled. "In the few weeks I've known Rachel, I wouldn't put it past her."

"So how do you know Rachel?"

"Her kids are in my glee club. Steph's got a lot of energy and passion, and Cole's already becoming one of my best male leads."

"Just like their parents," Quinn smiled.

Another awkward silence. And no return of Rachel Hudson. Beth decided to be the one to break it this time.

"Could I ask you something?"

"Of-of course," Quinn assured. "Please ask me anything, and I'll answer it."

Beth paused. "Well…could you…tell me exactly…what happened?"

"Okay," agreed her birth mother. Mrs. Fabray-Puckerman thought for a few seconds of where exactly to begin with her story. "Sophomore year of high school should have been perfect…I was the head cheerleader dating the star quarterback, and everyone wanted to be me. And then I cheated on him…and a couple of months later, I learned that I was pregnant."

* * *

"Wha-what do you mean pregnant?"

"Like knocked up. With child. You know the drill."

Mark took a deep sigh, letting this new information absorb. "But wait…I thought that Mom was dating _Uncle Finn_ while she was a Cheerio."

"…She was."

"So…you went behind your best friend's back and slept with his girl?"

Puck sighed guiltily. "Yup."

The boy decided to push this thought out of his head to return to the more pressing matter. "So, Mom was pregnant in high school. What happened to the baby? Did you…get rid of it?"

"No," Puck responded. "We put her up for adoption…and she found us."

And then it hit him. "That Beth chick?" Puck nodded. "So…she's…your kid. Whoa."

"You okay, bubbe?"

"Grandmother."

"Damn….well, forget it. Are you okay?"

"I guess," the boy sighed. "It's not like it affects _me_ or anything…although, now the whole throwing up thing makes sense." After a moment, the young man gave his father a pleading—and slightly angered—look. "Why didn't you guys tell me about this?"

Puck shrugged. "I really don't know. I guess…I don't really like to think about it."

"You never wanted to give _me_ up, did you?" Mark asked quickly and suddenly, not looking at his dad.

"No!" Puck yelled. "No way!"

"Yeah right…" the boy muttered under his breath angrily. "Look, can you go?"

"Markie, you alright?"

"Just want a couple of minutes to figure this out in my head, Dad."

"Son, I think we sh—"

"Alright, look!" the boy loudly interrupted, "you just dropped this bombshell on me. The least you can do is give me ten minutes to process all of this."

Under normal circumstances, Noah Puckerman would have been screaming at his son for talking back to him. But these were not normal circumstances, and Mark Puckerman knew that his father didn't really have the energy to put up a fight at the moment.

"You know what, Mark. Fine!" yelled Puck. "Take all the fucking time you need!"

The door slammed behind the adult as he stormed out, and his enraged son made his way to the laptop on his desk.

"A fucking daughter…they have a fucking daughter," the boy continued to mutter as he opened up one of the applications on his computer. "I gotta talk to someone…A.M.! I don't care if she doesn't want to date me…Maybe she'll at least talk to me."

Making a couple of quick clicks with his mouse while only half-looking at the screen, Mark then put his head in his hands angrily while waiting for the Skype session to begin. How could they keep something like this from him? Are there any other random secret family members he should be aware of? How the hell—

"Hello? Mark, is that you?"

The Puckerman boy looked up at the slightly unfamiliar voice to find…

"Hudson? What are you doing on A.M.'s computer? Where is she?"

Stefania Hudson sighed, seeming to take in Mark's ragged appearance. "You called me, Mark. Not Anna Maria. I guess you hit the wrong name?"

"A.M.'s the last person I talked to…a couple days ago. I clicked the first name."

"You called me earlier today, Mark, remember?" the brunette on the screen reminded him. "For your school project?"

"Oh yeah…the Jewish stuff. Sorry," he stammered. "I-I'll let you go then."

"Wait!" she stopped. "Mark, is everything okay?"

"Peachy," he replied sarcastically.

"Come on Mark. I'm no Anna Maria, but if you want to talk about this, I'm here."

The boy began to grumble, almost as if he was debating with himself on whether or not to tell her, when he suddenly began.

"You'll never guess who's in my house right now."

"Who?"

"Your fucking glee teacher."

* * *

As Rachel exited the kitchen, her phone call now finished, she almost ran into Puck, who was barreling down the stairs without looking.

"Noah! What on earth is wrong!?"

"Markie!" he screamed. "He's a little…that freaking…he's—" The man's anger was slowly subsiding, now replaced by woe. "He's really pissed, Rach."

"I take it you told him, then?"

Puck frowned. "He got all mad, and I don't even know why. I just couldn't deal with it. I hate fighting with Mark."

Rachel nodded in understanding. "But Noah…could I make an observation?"

"As if I could stop you if I said no," he grumbled.

"You told me once that your biggest regret with Beth is that you ran away and didn't do anything to help her…that's how you see things, correct?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Now you're running away from your son."

Puck paled.

"I don't like talking about this, Berry," he answered slowly.

"I understand that," she told him. "But by not talking about it, you're starting to have an effect on your family. You are scared, and that's fine. It's completely understandable. But your son needs you. He has questions and concerns, and he needs you to help him deal with this."

Rachel put a platonic hand on Puck's shoulder and added one final statement. "You say that you regret straying away from Beth. Don't do the same with Mark."

* * *

"So, what did you do after high school? You and my da—your husband got back together, right?"

"For about ten minutes," Quinn told her biological daughter, choosing to ignore Beth's "dad" slip-up. "Frankly, I think the only reason that I was trying to date Puck senior year was because he was desperate. He was at risk of flunking out, and I wanted to encourage him, I guess. Anyway, after high school, I went to Yale and majored in law."

"That sounds exciting."

"It has its ups and downs," the older woman answered. "But at the end of the day, I love it. Being able to make such a difference like that is really cool."

"So, if you and Puck broke up before you left for Yale, how did you end up married?"

"Well, it was the summer after my senior year of college, and I went to Los Angeles to visit my sister, Mercedes. Whe—"

"Wait…Mercedes Evans is your sister?"

"Biologically, no. Of the soul, yes."

Beth smiled. "Sorry, continue."

"No problem. So Mercedes and I were on the streets of LA one day when we ran into Puck. He had been running a pool cleaning business out there for years. Anyway, one thing led to another, and we started…um...'seeing each other.'"

Quinn grew beet-red as Beth failed to hold back her giggle, neither of them noticing Rachel's re-entry to the patio.

"So when I went back to Connecticut, I learned that I was pregnant with Markie," Quinn continued to explain. "Puck wanted me to move to LA with him, but a law practice here in Boston offered me a job that I couldn't turn down. So he decided to abandon his pool cleaning business and move here. When he offered to do that, I realized just how much he had changed. Sure, Puck's a flirt, but he's loyal. He wanted to prove that he'd be there, and he did. I think that's why I fell in love with him. We ended up getting married a few months after Markie was born."

Though she didn't want to admit it, Beth's feelings were a little hurt. Why did they keep their second accidental baby, but get rid of their first? Of course, she knew that the situations were different. A high school sophomore pregnancy versus the pregnancy of a college graduate with a job. Beth knew all of this, but she couldn't help but feel a little slighted.

Seeming to sense this, Quinn put a hand on the young woman's. "Please don't feel like I don't care about you. Or that I've forgotten you, because I haven't. I think about you every day. I know that if I had raised you, you wouldn't have turned out the way you are now. I wouldn't have been a good mother then. Don't get me wrong: there are days that I really regret giving you up and not getting to know you, but I've come to realize that keeping you would have been selfish. You have a much better life than I could have ever given you back then, and for that, I have no regrets."

* * *

"I can't believe you guys already knew!"

Steph sighed guiltily at Mark's jovial statement. "Sorry, Markie."

"And then, you let me hit on her!? No wonder you were laughing!" Now even Mark had to laugh a little.

"In my defense," the girl asserted, "I _tried_ to tell you then, but Cole cut me off!"

"You know what?" the boy responded, now a little more serious, "I don't even care that you knew already. That's not what pisses me off."

"Then what does?"

"Yeah, what does?"

Mark jumped in his chair and turned to see his father—much calmer than when he left a few minutes before—standing at his door.

"Come on, kid," Puck pleaded. "Talk to me. You know I hate fighting with you."

Mark thought for a second, and then slowly nodded in agreement. He looked back to his laptop. "Guess I'll catch you later, Steffy. Thanks for listening…and let's keep this talk we had under wraps, okay?"

Steph smiled. "You got it, Mark. I'm here whenever you need me."

Mark ended the video chat, and as soon as it was over, the boy rolled his eyes at his father's wide grin.

"You and _Steffy_, huh?"

"I don't hit on _every_ girl I meet, Dad."

"Then I haven't taught you as well as I thought."

"That list of things to not tell Mom just keeps getting longer."

Puck rolled his eyes as he took a seat on the bed. "Markie, what's wrong?" The boy remained silent, so Puck continued. "Look, you're mad. We kept this from you, and you're pissed; I get it. But can I have a little more to go on?"

"Um…I kind of know something that you and Mom don't know that I know."

"You're gonna have to be a hell of a lot more specific."

"I know that…my birth wasn't planned."

Noah Puckerman gulped nervously. "How?"

"You've been married for seventeen years, and I'm eighteen," he said plainly.

"Damn…we were kind of hoping you'd never put two and two together."

"If it makes you feel better, I didn't get it until I was like sixteen," the boy smiled.

"So what's that have to do with you being mad?" asked Puck, getting back on track.

"Well, I was an accident, and obviously, so was Beth…it's just…what could have stopped you from giving me up, too?"

"Honestly?" Mark was silent, so Puck continued. "Timing. We got pregnant with Beth in high school; we weren't even dating. Things were complicated back then. By the time _you_ came along…it kind of made sense for us."

"Do you regret it? Giving her up?"

"Sometimes I do," the aged man sighed. "You know, I always said that I'd be there for her. You know, after we gave her up…this is the first I've heard of her since she was a baby."

"She's here now," Mark stated as if it were obvious. "Go talk to her."  
"I-I can't. She won't want to see me."

"She clearly does. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come all the way from Ohio."

"She's gonna hate me for giving her up," Puck said to his shoes. "I mean…I _want_ to see her…but she'll never—"

Mark tapped his father on the shoulder to get his attention. "How about I go out there with you? A united front or something."

Puck smiled at his son. "Thanks, bubbe."

"Grandmother."

"Damn it."

* * *

This was probably one of the best days of Quinn Fabray-Puckerman's life. Meeting her long-lost daughter, and said long-lost daughter not actually hating her? She could not have dreamed of a better outcome. Even still, the older woman looked puzzled upon seeing Beth's confused face after a few minutes of peaceful silence.

"Beth, honey," Quinn asked, inwardly thrilled that "honey" had become an involuntary nickname already, "what's wrong?"

"Well…it's not that I don't enjoy talking to you, because I honestly do. I really appreciate you talking to me, but I-I was just wondering about my d—Puck. He's avoiding me, isn't he?"

Quinn thought to lie, but decided against it. "He's just scared, Beth."

"He feels guilty," added Rachel. "He regrets not being in your life as much as he could have been."

"He didn't have any obligation to do so," said Beth. "He gave up his legal rights; I don't have hard feelings."

"Puck's very loyal to his friends and family," Quinn explained. "He's alw—"

A knock on the doorframe interrupted Quinn's statement as Mark stepped outside to join them.

"Um…first of all," he began, turning to Beth, "I've been _informed_, and I promise to stop flirting with you."

Beth sighed in relief. "Thank God."

"Second," Mark continued, "Dad's right inside…and he _wants_ to come out, but he's a little nervous. Any suggestions?"

His sister stood up. "Can I try something?"

Quinn forwarded to the door with a smile. "Go ahead."

The young woman walked past her Mark and stepped inside. For the first time, she saw her father, nervously sitting in a chair, looking at the floor, mumbling to himself.

Beth cleared her throat, deciding to break Puck's train of thought. She smiled as tears filled the man's eyes. As Rachel, Quinn, and Mark watched from the door, Beth extended her hand politely.

"Hi, I'm Beth Corcoran."

* * *

Happy Friday everyone! Man, this was long as hell for an interlude...oh well. Hope you enjoyed the conclusion of this storyline.

With the Christmas holidays approaching, I'll have some free time. Hopefully, more chapters will be coming at a much faster rate!

**In the Next Chapter: Jealousy rears its ugly head, and Anna Maria and Julia become its victims. Meanwhile, Cole tries to distance himself from the oblivious Jack, and suspicions begin to arise concerning the mysterious Mr. Abrams.**


	19. Suspicious Minds

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: Do you think I'd be writing fanfiction if I owned Glee?

**A/N: To my readers, reviewers, and PMers, thank you for kicking my ass back into this story. Let's go!**

Chapter 14 – Suspicious Minds

Mercedes Evans's nightclub was one of the hottest spots in Cincinnati. After her national successes, the singer opted for early retirement and opened Neytiri's Lounge a few years after her daughter's birth. Rather than having a giant dance floor and DJ, Mercedes equipped her club with several small tables and a small stage for local talent to show their skills on the microphone, ultimately looking a little more like a coffeehouse than a traditional nightclub.

Every night, Neytiri's would be full of people enjoying the evening. During the days, however, it was basically empty—most likely because it was closed. It was for this reason that the newly established Vocal DynamiX Combo decided to rehearse there on a Saturday in mid February. Watching the members of his band set up their equipment on the stage, Trey Chang smiled from his seat at the bar.

"I've got to hand it to you, man," Cameron Evans congratulated from behind the bar, "you really got this band going great!"

"Thanks," Trey replied. "It's only our fourth out-of-school rehearsal, and everyone's really excited and motivated."

"It's all thanks to you, dude."

A third voice entered the conversation. "I beg your pardon."

Trey and Cameron looked up to find Jack Abrams sauntering over to them.

"Give credit where credit is due, Evans," Jack continued. "Your boy would be nothing if it wasn't for me persuading these guys to join up."

Trey rolled his eyes and grumbled a response. "I guess he had something to do with it."

Jack grinned. "Damn right."

"Let the band know that we're gonna start in about ten minutes," Trey said, not wanting to listen to Jack anymore.

Jack shrugged, not catching the hint. "Whatever."

As soon as Jack was out of earshot, Trey whispered, "Is he starting to bug you, too?"

Cameron struggled to come up with an answer. "Not…really. Why?"

"Nothing," Trey sighed. "It's just…I worked really hard to get this band set up, and just because Jack's been in combos before, he's acting like he owns this one! Every time we have rehearsals, he _has_ to take over. It's really starting to piss me off."

"I guess I haven't been around him long enough to really notice," Cameron responded. "But I'll keep an eye on him, too. Especially with him hanging around Cole so much."

As if on cue, Cole Hudson emerged from the storeroom with Mercedes at his heels. Both were holding boxes.

"Thanks again for hiring me, Aunt Mercedes," Cole said as they approached the boys at the bar.

"No problem, hon," she answered. "Although, it _is_ a little funny that you suddenly decided that you wanted to work here."

"I-I just needed a distraction," the tall boy answered quickly. Mercedes have him a stern warning glare and then gave her son a "you handle this" look before walking away.

"Distraction from what?" Cameron asked Cole immediately after Mercedes left them.

"Nothing, _Mercedes_," he quipped.

"Hey Pretty Boy!"

Cole literally jumped at the sound of his sexual partner's voice, and Trey and Cameron took close notice.

"W-what's up, Jack?" Cole tried to recover.

"You left your bracelet at my house the other day." Jack grabbed Cole's hand and softly slipped the bracelet back onto his wrist, giving Cole a wink while doing so.

Cameron looked intrigued. "Okay, I promise that this is the last time I'll ask, but are you two dating or what?"

"No," Cole asserted, not giving Jack a chance to answer. "You know how Jack can get."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not."

Suddenly, a beautiful dark-skinned senior girl with long straight hair walked over to the boys. The newly single Trey couldn't help but gape at her appearance.

"Hi Cameron."

"Oh, hey Nikki," he replied calmly.

"So about that favor you asked? Looks like we can work something out!"

Cameron brightened. "Really? Thanks so much! I really appreciate it!"

"No problem," the girl responded, walking away.

"Alright, Evans! Get some!" exclaimed Jack the moment Nikki was gone.

"What's with you?" questioned the biracial boy.

"You and the hot piece of ass!" Jack insisted. "I kinda want her, and I'm gay!"

"Then go for it!" Cameron replied sarcastically. "I could care less! Nikki works for my mom here at the club! Besides, she's a senior!"

"And a cougar," Jack grinned. "Seriously, get some."

"Jack, I don't like Nikki like that," Cameron stated. "Besides, I would never to that to Julia."

Jack pressed on. "We won't tell!"

"The hell we won't," Cole countered, glaring at Jack.

"What's this _favor_ then?" Trey grinned at his best friend.

Cameron stuttered. "It's-it's nothing. D-don't worry about it."

"He's _already_ getting some!" Jack yelled happily at Cameron's nervousness. "Go Evans!"

"Will you shut up!?" Cole screamed at him. "Not everything has to be about sex!"

The tall boy stormed out of the room before anyone could even stop to process what had happened. Mercedes reemerged from the storeroom with Nikki right behind her.

"Cameron, was that Cole I heard?"

"Yeah," her son answered confusedly. "I-I don't really know what just happened."

Trey looked at Jack accusingly. "Did you have anything to do with this? What did you do to Cole?"

"Nothing!" Jack insisted. "Let's-let's just get to practice."

* * *

On the other side of town, Steph, Anna Maria, and Julia were relaxing in den of the Hudson home.

"So Girl Hudson," Anna Maria said, "Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Let's do something, just you and me."

Julia looked offended. "Am I not invited?"

"No Miss I-Have-a-Boyfriend."

"Oh yeah," Julia chuckled. "Hey, speaking of a lack of boyfriends, how are you doing, Steph?"

"Pretty well, actually," the brunette girl replied to the shock of her friends. "While Trey and I were…'dating', we were so awkward and uncomfortable. Now that we've realized that we're better as friends, everything's gone back to normal."

"Still," said Anna Maria, "you and me are gonna hang out and watch stupid love movies while eating ice cream, so clear your schedule."

"Oh, a girls night in!" Julia bemoaned. "That sounds so fun!"

"Come on, Jules," encouraged Steph. "It's your first Valentine's with Cameron; I'm sure he has something special planned."

"If he does, he hasn't said anything to me," Julia sighed.

"Cameron's a hopeless romantic; I'm sure he's go—"

Steph's statement was suddenly interrupted by a noise coming from her open laptop.

"Looks like someone's Skyping you," noted Julia. The blonde was closest to the computer and went to look at the screen. "'Incoming call from _PuckZILLA_.' Isn't that Markie Puckerman's screen name?"

"Yeah it is," said Anna Maria slowly, turning to Steph. "Why is Markie Skyping _you_?"

"No-no idea," Steph stuttered as all three of them walked to the laptop. "He's-he's never done it before."

Anna Maria, who was now standing between the other two, clicked the "Accept" button, and soon Mark Puckerman's face appeared on the screen.

"Alright, Steffy, can we pick up where we left off—" Mark stopped upon seeing that the now nervous Hudson girl was not alone. "Whoa…hey Jules, hey A.M."

"Hi Markie," Julia smiled.

The Latina, however, turned to Steph. "What does he mean 'pick up where we left off'? I thought he's never Skyped you before."

"Clearly, this isn't a good time," the voice from the computer announced. "Call me later, Steph."

And the call was disconnected as both Anna Maria and Julia stared at Steph accusingly.

"How could you not tell me that you've been talking with my ex-boyfriend!?" the Lopez-Pierce girl said to her friend.

"It's not like that, I promise!" Steph asserted. "Markie's just…been coming to me for advice."

"Besides," Julia interrupted, looking at the longhaired girl, "I thought that _you_ were over Mark."

Anna Maria stuttered an answer. "I-I am…it's just…weird that-that my best friend's talking to my ex-boyfriend."

It was now Steph's turn to smirk. "_Julia's_ dating one of your ex-boyfriends, and you weren't half as mad about it."

"First of all, that never happened," lied Anna Maria. "And second, I-I…okay, shut up! This is about _you_, Hudson! How could you not tell me?"

"Yes, what _is_ going on?" Julia asked her cousin.

Steph sighed. "Okay, here's what happened. Mark contacted me a couple of weeks ago on Skype to ask me a question about Judaism."

"I thought you worshipped Grilled Cheesus," noted Anna Maria seriously.

"No, that's my Dad—kinda, it's complicated. Anyway, I answered Markie's question, and that was it. Until later that day. He…he found out about Beth, and he took it kind of hard."

"Whoa," breathed Anna Maria, taking a seat.

"How did he find out?" asked Julia.

"Apparently," explained Steph, "Beth and my mother took a secret trip up to Boston. I remember my mom going up to see Aunt Quinn, but I didn't know that Beth was going along for the ride."

"Why did he call _you_, though?" asked the Latina. "It's not like you two were close or anything."

"He meant to call you," Steph answered. "The way Mark explained it, he thought that you were the first name on his recent calls, because he had forgotten that he called me earlier that day. So he clicked the first name without looking, and he didn't know it was me until I showed up on the screen, but he looked so upset that I couldn't just send him away."

"Was he that upset, Steph?" Julia questioned.

"I think so," she replied. "Since he found out, he's been coming to me a couple of times a week to vent. But I do think that he's getting better."

"That's nice," Anna Maria said quickly, not looking at Steph.

"Honey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Steph apologized.

"It's okay; I'm not really mad," she said. "I know that Markie trusted you…"

Thankfully, the sharp dinging sound that suddenly came from Julia's phone interrupted the awkward silence.

"It's a text from Cameron," she said, observing her phone. "He-he wants us to come down to the club and watch the band's rehearsal."

"That could be fun," said Anna Maria, standing up suddenly. "Let's go."

"A.M., are you sure you're okay?" Steph asked, noticing that her friend was changing the subject.

"I'm fine."

* * *

"You are so not fine."

Anna Maria rolled her eyes as she, Cameron, and Trey sat at the bar in Neytiri's together. It was about an hour later, and the combo was currently on break.

"Look here, Guppy Face," Anna Maria threatened Cameron, "I told you that I'm okay. It's not a big deal."

"Your ex-boyfriend has been confiding in one of your best friends, and it doesn't piss you off?" questioned Cameron.

Trey interrupted without giving the girl a chance to answer. "But her other best friend is _dating_ you, and you used to date A.M."

"That never happened," both Cameron and Anna Maria growled at Trey.

Julia walked over to them and took a seat. "What never happened?"

"Anna Maria and Cameron," Trey replied.

"Sorry, Cam. That happened," Julia smiled.

The biracial boy put his fingers in his ears. "La-la-la-la. I'm not listening!"

Cameron continued this spectacle until he received a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, he jumped a little at seeing Nikki, the beautiful waitress from earlier that day.

"Oh-oh hey, Nikki," he stuttered, focusing his eyes only on her.

"Hi…," Nikki looked at Anna Maria, who was sitting on one side of Cameron. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"No, it's his _ex_-girlfriend."

"Chang, I'm gonna freaking kill you."

Julia, ignoring Trey and Anna Maria, extended her hand to the tall senior girl. "I'm Cameron's girlfriend, Julia Hummel-Anderson."

"Nice to meet you; Cam's told me a lot about you. I'm Nikki Watkins; I work for his mom here at the club." Nikki then turned to Cameron. "So…Cameron, your...your _mom_ wanted some help in the storeroom with something. You got a minute?"

"Sure!" Cameron answered a little strangely, as he stood up. "I'll catch up with you guys later." The boy gave Julia a quick kiss and went off with Nikki.

"What. The hell. Was _that_!?"

Julia looked at Anna Maria peculiarly. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"The beautiful Amazonian woman flirting with your boyfriend," she deadpanned. "And the curly-haired Trouty Mouth that was flirting back."

"You are insane," Julia commented. "Just because Cameron has a female friend outside of our social circle doesn't mean that anything suspicious is going on. Cameron has never given me any reason to doubt him."

The door to the storeroom opened, and Nikki and Cameron emerged laughing together.

"Nikki, you're amazing! Thanks so much!" they all heard Cameron say.

While Trey did everything in his power to stay out of it, Anna Maria smirked at Julia. "Still have no reason to doubt him?"

Julia huffed angrily. "Just because you are upset about Mark and Stefania doesn't mean that you need to get involved with my relationship with Cameron!"

The blonde arose and stomped away. Once she left, the remaining two looked at each other.

"She's totally upset," said Anna Maria.

"Yup…but she's also right about you," noted Trey. "_You_ are totally pissed about Markie and Steph."

Rolling her eyes, the Latina pushed Trey off of the stool and onto the ground as she left victoriously.

* * *

"Do you see how she just pushed Trey off of that stool? She's so upset! I feel awful!"

"Steph, would you relax?" Cole said to his sister. The twins were sitting on the stage floor, observing their friends, along with the members of the Vocal DynamiX Combo, socializing.

"I don't like Markie; honest!" Steph continued. "He just needed an ear, and I offered one!"

"I believe you; A.M. is just confused," he replied distractedly. "I doubt that she's mad at you…or at Markie, for that matter."

Steph looked at her brother to ask another question but paused when noticing that his eyes were vacant.

"Is there something on your mind, little bro?"

Cole smirked at her name for him. "Twenty-seven minutes."

"Don't change the subject," Steph insisted. "What's up with you? You're totally spacing out on me."

"It's…" Cole paused, his gaze travelling across the room. "It's nothing."

Steph grew silent at her brother's despondency, and then found a new topic. "So, how's it been since you started working here?"

"It's great!" he answered. "I've got too much free time, and I really needed something to occupy my time."

Once again, Cole's eyes were not on his sister. Said sister looked to whom her brother was staring: Jack Abrams.

"Is…is it Jack?" she asked slowly. "Are you two okay? Trey told me that you kind of blew up at him earlier."

"For someone that you're not dating anymore, you sure do talk a lot."

"We talk a lot because the pressure of dating is gone," she replied. "And once again, don't change the subject. Did Jack do something to piss you off?"

Cole shook his head. "It's nothing," he repeated. "Jack just…has his mind on one thing…gets annoying after a while."

"Just tell him you're tired of listening to him talk about sex," Steph said simply.

"Yeah…_talk_ about it," Cole inwardly thought.

Stefania Hudson never considered herself and her brother to have any form of "twin telepathy", but at that precise moment, she was one hundred percent sure that Cole was hiding something… something important…that had to do with Jackson Abrams.

* * *

In a corner of the club, Julia was in the middle of a video chat with her fathers on her iPad as Anna Maria walked over to her.

"Daddies, tilapia sounds excellent!" Julia continued. "I can't wait!"

"Telling your dads about the waitress that's going after your man?" Anna Maria smirked.

"What's Anna Maria talking about?" Blaine asked, noticing her arrival.

"Nothing, Daddy," the blonde answered, glaring at the Latina. "Anna Maria is just transferring her insecurities to me."

"Julia's just upset because a beautiful woman has been hitting on ol' Trouty Mouth," the girl stated simply.

"WHAT!?" screeched Kurt.

"I'll kill him!" his husband announced.

"Where's Mercedes?"

"Seriously, I'll kill the boy."

"There must be some explanation; and no one ever said that that this girl's feelings were reciprocated."

"Who cares? I'm killing him."

"Daddy Blaine, please don't kill my boyfriend," Julia begged. "And Papa Kurt, this girl has no feelings towards Cameron."

"Not true," the Latina instigated. "She's trying to break them up."

Blaine scoffed. "Well, I can relate to that."

The girls didn't need the video to see how high Kurt's eyebrow had just raised at his husband's statement. "And what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Oh no," whispered Julia.

"Nothing…" Blaine trailed off, feigning innocence.

"It must be _something_," they heard Kurt insist. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have said anything."

"All I am saying is that I understand how it feels when someone tries to interfere with a relationship," Blaine answered.

"Not this fight again," Julia said. "Daddies, let's stay calm."

"You are _so_ right, Blaine!" Kurt sarcastically responded. "Sebastian was a terror to deal with!"

"Excuse me? Sebastian?"

"Blaine, he almost blinded you!"

"At least I never flirted back with him!"

"Oh, are we really gonna go there?"

"Well, since you're so upset, why don't you go and text _Chandler_?"

"For the seventy-third time, Blaine, I did not cheat on you with Chandler!"

Julia snatched up her iPad and glared at Anna Maria. "See what you did!"

Anna Maria shrugged a little guiltily as her friend hurriedly waved Mercedes Evans over.

"Julia, honey, what's wrong?"

"My fathers are having the Chandler/Sebastian fight again," Julia bemoaned, briefly glancing at the screen. "And now Daddy Blaine is singing that 'It's Not Right, But It's Okay' song in a mocking tone…and I _think_ Papa Kurt is countering it with Michael Jackson."

The older woman rolled her eyes and took the tablet. "I've got this."

As Mercedes walked away, her resounding "LISTEN UP, WHITE BOYS!" echoing from her mouth, Julia returned her gaze to Anna Maria.

"So rather than deal with your own feelings towards Mark Puckerman, you'd instead choose to jeopardize not only _my_ relationship, but also that of my fathers?"

"Sorry, Jules," the girl answered sheepishly. "I-I didn't know your dads had history like that."

Julia rolled her eyes and stood up, going to a returning Mercedes. Anna Maria was right behind her.

"Your dads are gonna be okay, honey," Mercedes calmed. "They just needed a reminder of why they love each other."

"Aunt Mercedes, you are a lifesaver!" thanked Julia.

"By the way," Mrs. Evans continued, "you may not want to go home right away tonight. I have a feeling that Kurt and Blaine…kind of need the evening to themselves."

"You had them for only a few seconds. What could you have possibly said?" questioned Julia.

"A magician never reveals her secrets," Mercedes quipped. "Besides, some of it's a little PG-13, and with it being your dads, I don't think you want to know."

"Wanky."

Julia glared at Anna Maria, who had just spoken. "You're still not off the hook, A.M."

"What'd _she_ do?" asked Mercedes.

"She's the reason my dads are fighting."

"Look, Julia, I'm really sorry," Anna Maria apologized. "I'll knock it off with the Cameron and Nikki jokes, I promise!"

"What about Cameron and Nikki?"

The blonde spoke up. "Anna Maria—"

"_And _Jack!"

Julia sighed at her friend's interruption. "Fine…Anna Maria _and_ Jack have been implying all day that your son and your employee have been engaging in some sort of sexual tryst! A.M. brought up the subject of infidelity to my fathers, and their old wounds were reopened."

"Well, don't worry about your dads," Mercedes assured. "They're healing each others' wounds as we speak."

"Wanky," Anna Maria repeated.

Mercedes turned to the girl who had just spoken. "And what's going on with _you_ girl? I know you're an instigator, but I've never known you to butt into a relationship."

"I was just joking around," the girl answered. "I didn't mean to mess up Klaine…or Camlia, for that matter."

"Then what's with you, then?"

"I'll state my theory once more," announced Julia. "Anna Maria is in love with Mark Puckerman."

"No I'm not, you little Rachel Berry clone freak," she bit back harshly.

Mercedes decided to intervene. "Hey Anna Maria, why don't we go talk outside for a bit?" As the girl resisted the urge to roll her eyes, Mercedes led her out.

Julia gave a small smile in their direction before walking over to the main area of the club. Her smile fell upon seeing Cameron and Nikki in an animated conversation. For as much as she knew that her boyfriend cared about her, to see him with the model-esque Nikki rubbed her the wrong way. But she wasn't jealous, of course! After all, she trusted Cameron. And he was certainly allowed to talk to another girl.

…Even if the girl was a little _too_ pretty.

…And older.

…And sultry.

…Okay, so maybe she was a _little_ jealous.

* * *

"Alright, you guys!" Trey's voice echoed through the club. "Let's get back to practice."

As the combo members returned to the stage, Nikki and Cameron were finishing up a conversation as Steph and Cole approached them.

"So I'll call you tonight when I leave work?" asked Nikki.

"Sounds great," Cameron replied with a smile.

As the girl walked off, Cole frowned at Cameron angrily as he and his sister sat down.

"Cole, stop glaring at me," Cameron droned.

"Look Cam, if you say you're not cheating, then I believe you. But why do you keep talking to her?"

"Because…okay, let's just say that she's helping me with something, and keep it at that."

Steph perked up, hearing about this development for the first time. "What is the exceedingly beautiful and older woman helping _you_ for?"

"Because she's good at what she does."

"That's an incredibly vague and shady description," Steph pointed out.

"Leave him alone, you two," an approaching Julia Hummel-Anderson told the twins with a large beaming expression.

"Why are you so smiley?" asked Steph with a grin of her own.

"Can't a girl just be happy?" she answered, giving Cameron a long, almost territorial, kiss before sitting beside him.

"Well _that_ was certainly…expressive," quipped Cole.

"No complaints over here," Cameron noted, staring off with a blissful expression.

Trey's voice on the microphone cut off any further conversation. "Okay everybody," he said to the group, his back to the audience, "Let's warm up with 'Sir Duke.'" Trey then looked to Cole. "Hudson, can you get the vocal part? I know you know the song."

The Hudson boy smiled sheepishly as he arose. He had really been coming into his own as a vocalist, and "Sir Duke" _was_ his favorite Stevie Wonder song. The boy made his way to the stage, and he was somehow strategically placed next to Jack, who gave him a concerned smile.

"You good, Ridge?"

Cole looked confused. "Ridge?"

"Cole's short for 'Coleridge', right? Thought I'd be unique and give you a nickname of my own."

"What happened to 'Pretty Boy?'" Cole grinned.

"I'd like a name that doesn't make you jump up every time I say it."

Cole couldn't help but laugh. _This_ was the Jack Abrams that he preferred. Not entirely sexual, but still very flirty. Not too pushy, but more funny.

"Okay, if Jack and _Ridge_ are done flirting, let's get on with rehearsal, shall we?"

Cole blushed as Jack gave Trey the finger; the Asian merely grinned back and pointed to the drummer who began to lead the group in with an introduction. Soon, he was followed by Jack on saxophone and two trumpet players, assisting in the introduction. This got the small crowd—Steph, Julia, Cameron, and Nikki, who had reentered—clapping to the beat. After a second, Trey on guitar, a second guitarist, a bass player, and Leo Lawson, a former DynamiX singer turned keyboardist, entered the song as well as Cole began to sing.

**_COLE:_**

**_Music is a world within itself_**

**_With a language we all understand._**

**_With an equal opportunity_**

**_For all to sing, dance, and clap their hands._**

**_But just because a record has a groove_**

**_Don't make it in the groove._**

**_But you can tell right away at letter A_**

**_When the people start to move…_**

**_They can feel it all over!_**

**_They can feel it all over, people!_**

**_They can feel it all over!_**

**_They can feel it all over, people!_**

As the band entered an instrumental feature, it was obvious to everyone once again that Jack was seducing with the tall vocalist beside him, complete with flirty looks and bumping their bodies together, his lips never leaving his saxophone. Cole's expression held a smile that was small and warm…and yet, to one observer, a little nervous.

"Is there something weird with Jack and Cole to you guys?" Steph whispered.

Cameron and Julia looked on stage for a few seconds, and the boy spoke on their behalf.

"Everything looks good from my end...obvious flirting as usual."

"Nothing seems strange to me, either," added Julia. "They both seem to be having a good time; the music is taking them away."

"Yeah…taking them away to where, exactly?"

* * *

"Alright, Lopez-Pierce. Talk to me."

This time, Anna Maria did not resist the urge and rolled her eyes anyway. Mercedes promptly slapped her in the back of the head.

"Ouch! Aunt 'Cedes!"

"That's what you get…rolling your little eyes at me…"

"Sorry," she apologized honestly. "But there's nothing to talk about."

"So Julia's thing about you being in love with Markie—"

"Is complete bullsh—"

"A.M…."

"Is untrue," the girl corrected.

"Then why are you so defensive about it?" Mercedes asked softly.

As they sat on a couple of old chairs behind Neytiri's, the Latina refused to look at Mercedes. However, the girl answered the question anyway.

"So Markie found out about the whole Beth thing, and ever since then, he's been going to _Steph_ for advice!"

"Wait…when did _you_ find out about Beth?"

She replied absent-mindedly. "Finn and Brittany told me at the engagement barbeque a couple months back; we all know about it."

"Damn it…but never mind that. Are you jealous that Mark went to Steph?"

"I-I…I don't really know."

"Do you wish he had come to you?"

"Apparently, he meant to," she explained. "He reached Steph by accident the first time."

"Are you mad at Steph?" Mercedes questioned.

"No, she didn't do anything wrong," Anna Maria responded. "She was just giving him advice. There's nothing romantic behind it."

"What if there was?"

The girl grew silent, so Mercedes repeated her question. "Hypothetically, what if Mark and Steph dated?"

"Markie cheated on me, Aunt 'Cedes; you know that," she whispered softly. "He cheated, and when I found out, it broke me…I've never felt more betrayed. He took away every sense of trust that I had in people. Hell, the first guy I dated after him was _Cameron_ for god's sake!"

"Hey now, that's my _son_ you're talking about."

"Sorry," she half-apologized, before getting serious again. "Even now, it's hard to trust sometimes. I don't ever want to feel that way again. I'm not saying 'once a cheater, always a cheater' necessarily…but I can't honestly believe that _Mark_ wouldn't do it to me again."

Mercedes nodded, and then asked her unanswered question for a third time. "So, if Steph and Mark were to happen?"

"I'd be very cautious for Steph's sake…but other than that…I don't think I'd care. I honestly do not want to date Mark Puckerman…so why do I feel like this?"

The older woman paused before formulating an appropriate response. "Maybe…you're looking for a little male comfort right now."

Anna Maria smirked at her suggestion. "Is this your subtle way of suggesting that I'm still upset about my dad?"

"Well, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," she answered. "I mean, it never really occurred to me that he could have anything to do with my life, and just when I start to want it, I find out he's dead."

"And when the only other man you've been close to confides in someone else, you start to feel even more alone?"

"…Damn, you're good."

Mercedes gave the girl a sad smile. "Honey, you don't need a man to be happy. You know that, right?"

"Yeah I know that," replied a grinning Anna Maria. "I'm a strong, independent woman…just like Beyoncé."

"Well, Beyoncé wouldn't sit around causing problems for other people. She'd stand up and face her own crap head-on."

"And _now_ are you implying that I apologize to everyone?" Mercedes nodded in response. "Even _Julia_?"

"Especially Julia."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But I don't wanna…" the girl playfully whined, putting her head on Mercedes's shoulder.

She smiled back. "Sorry kid, that's life."

* * *

Hours later, the Vocal DynamiX Combo rehearsal was finished for the day, and group was leaving. As Cole stood against a wall drinking a soda, the pianist Leo Lawson walked over to him.

"H-hi Cole," the small freshman boy greeted.

"Hey Leo," Cole answered with a smile. "How's the transition from singer to pianist?"

"It's great!" he replied. "N-not that I didn't love singing with you guys…it's just that _playing_ music has always been my passion."

"I can understand that," Cole thought aloud. "You know, I play a little piano myself."

"Really?"

"Nothing too special," he amended his statement. "Just a few songs that I learned from YouTube with the help of my dad. I'm not really good when it comes to proper techniques."

"I co-could teach you sometime if you want," Leo said slowly.

Cole smiled. "That'd be great—"

The tall boy was interrupted when a pair of hands covered up his eyes. A voice whispered in his ear, "Guess who."

"Hi Jack," Cole said plainly.

"Damn!" the saxophonist replied, moving next to him.

Leo's small form suddenly shrunk a little more. "We-well, I'd better go…my mom's outside. I'll see you guys at school."

"Bye Leo," Cole waved.

"See you, kid," Jack added.

Once the boy left the club, Cole turned to Jack as they walked over to the stage. "That was a little rude, Jack. Leo and I were talking."

"Looks like what I have planned in a couple of days will be the perfect way to make it up to you," Jack grinned craftily.

"Jack, I've got to work," Cole told him.

"Ah man!" Jack exaggeratedly whined. "Ever since you got this damn job, we haven't been able to do anything!"

"That's the point," Cole thought to himself.

"Hey Cole," said an approaching Nikki, who had overheard them, "if you need a night off, the other workers and I can handle things."

"Great!" Jack stated without giving Cole a chance to say anything. "My place, Monday night at eight. See you there, Ridge."

* * *

A couple of days later, Neytiri's was in full swing. Thanks to a suggestion from her son and his friends, Mercedes decided to use Monday nights as a teen night in the club, specifically for the local high school students. It was on this particular night that Trey, Steph, and Anna Maria were seated at a table watching the previous performers leave the stage.

"You know, A.M.," Steph began, "we haven't really talked about what happened this weekend with Mark—"

"Steph, I'm fine," the girl replied calmly. "Really. I've realized that while I still have a _few_ very small feelings for Markie, I don't want to be with him. I guess when I learned that you had been talking to him, it made some of those old thoughts pop back up."

"Well don't worry, honey," Steph assured her. "There are no romantic feelings between me and Markie whatsoever."

"For your sake, I'm glad to hear that."

Trey, who had been slumping in his chair with a bored expression, suddenly perked up. "Hey, it's Cameron and Julia!" he pointed out. "Please save me from this girl talk!"

Steph punched him in the shoulder as Julia and Cameron approached them arm-in-arm.

"Good evening, everyone," Julia greeted as Cameron pulled her chair out.

"Where's CoJack?" asked Cameron.

"_Who's_ CoJack?" Trey rephrased.

"That's his new portmanteau for Coleridge and Jackson," Julia explained. "He is still certain that they are in a secret relationship."

"I hope not," Steph grumbled.

"What's that about?" asked Anna Maria. "I'm rather fond of Jackie Boy."

"You would like him," Trey noted dryly. "He's a bitch like you."

"Exactly."

"Cole said that Jack had something planned for him tonight," Steph told Cameron and Julia. "Personally, I'm a little worried. I can't put my finger on it, but something's off with the two of them."

"Hopefully, for your brother's sake," replied Julia, "your intuition is incorrect."

As Steph nodded in agreement, Cameron looked behind her head and saw Nikki subtly waving him over.

"Hey, um…I-I'll be right back, gotta pee," Cameron said quickly and suddenly. He ran off in the direction of the men's room—which was, coincidentally enough, right next to Nikki—before anyone could stop him.

"What's up with him?" Steph asked, turning around. But before her eyes could reach the men's room, they landed on another strange sight. Upon seeing this, she suddenly squealed and turned back around, now very red-faced.

"You okay, Hudson?" asked Anna Maria.

"Look at the bar," the brunette whispered.

Trey, Julia, and Anna Maria looked to where Steph was now pointing and gasped upon seeing Kurt and Blaine Hummel-Anderson making out like a couple of high school students.

"Damn Jules!" Trey announced.

Chuckling, Julia responded, "Well, it appears that they've made up."

The Latina girl looked guilty again. "About that…Julia, I really am sorry. I didn't mean to get your dads in a fight."

The blonde smiled. "It's okay, honey."

"But you were right," she told her. "I was a _little_ jealous of Mark and Steph, and I shouldn't have said that Cameron was messing around with the waitress…and to be honest, my emotions are still just a little too fresh with the stuff about my dad—"

"Anna Maria," Julia sympathetically started.

"It's okay," the girl interrupted. "I mean…it's _not_…but it will be. But anyway, I took my stuff out on you, and I'm sorry. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about with the Naomi Campbell wannabe."

But strangely enough, Julia's response was an awkward squirm in her chair. And that's when they realized it…

"You _are_ jealous!" Trey announced on behalf of Steph and Anna Maria.

"N-no, I'm not!"

But now, everyone at the table was giving Julia looks, and the girl cracked.

"Okay, let me begin by saying that I completely and one hundred percent trust Cameron. But let's be honest: that waitress is older and tall and…and hot!"

"Oh Julia," sympathized Steph.

"I've gotta say, I like this more human side to you, Julia," Anna Maria commended.

"What's she talking about?"

Trey and the three girls all jumped nervously at the unexpected voice behind them. Turning around, they found Cameron with his hands behind his back and a curious expression on his face.

"Um, it's nothing, Cam," Julia sheepishly responded.

"Yeah!" Trey decided to interject. "She's just…on her period!"

"Ew…" Cameron grimaced while a red-faced Julia covered her face. The remaining two girls glared at Trey for his response.

"Well, I don't see either of _you_ saying anything!" the Asian shot back softly.

"Cameron, please ignore Michael," Julia asked her boyfriend. "I'm not—I mean, it isn't—there's nothing—"

"You don't have to explain, Julia," Cameron soothed. "Actually, I'd rather you _not_. Besides, that I have for you may make you feel better."

Before Julia could inquire any further, Cameron took his hands from behind his back to reveal a small jewelry box that he immediately handed to Julia. With a gasp, the girl took the box and opened it to reveal a beautiful silver pendant in the shape of a musical eighth note studded in diamonds. The Hummel-Anderson girl couldn't help but tear up a little.

"Cameron, I don't even know what to say. This is so beautiful."

The boy took a minute to take the pendant from his girlfriend and place it around her neck, Julia's grin never leaving her face.

"I-I was gonna wait until Valentine's Day," Cameron continued with a nervous stutter, "but when Nikki gave it to me earlier, I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep the secret."

"Wait a minute, Fish Lips!" Anna Maria suddenly interrupted. "What do you mean Nikki gave it to you? Did you get my girl some other girl's trash jewelry."

"No you idiot," Cameron bit back, a little offended. "What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"You don't want me to answer that honestly."

The biracial boy rolled his eyes, but decided to answer the question anyway. "Nikki's father owns that jewelry store in the mall—you know, Watkins' Jewelry—and I was able to talk her into asking her dad for a good deal."

"Which explains why you've been talking to her so much this week," Trey realized.

"Of course," Cameron told his friend as if it were obvious. "I already told you that I wasn't doing anything with her that wasn't platonic."

"That's a relief," Julia said a little too quickly, immediately covering her mouth as soon as she realized her slip-up. Cameron, however, was already a step ahead of her.

"Wait, you didn't honestly think that I was into her, did you?" a smirking Cameron asked.

"N-no! Not at all!"

"So _that's_ what A.M. meant by being more human." Cameron noted, now starting to laugh. "You were jealous!?"

The blonde girl in front of him pouted—Cameron mentally noting that it was probably the cutest expression he'd ever seen on her—and responded to his laughter. "What is so funny!?"

"I'm sorry," he replied. "It's just…I never would have pegged _you_ to be the jealous type!"

"I wasn't jealous!"

Not-so-subtle coughs from the peanut gallery.

"Okay fine! I was a _little_ jealous, but let me just preface this by saying that I would never think that you would have ever done anything with her."

"That's good to hear," responded Cameron.

"It's just…she's really attractive; I'm not blind to that. And I'm aware that any and all single men—or perhaps, those with lesser morals—would jump at the chance to be with someone like her, but I love you too much to believe that you would do that. After all, you're kind and caring, and even though you're a guy, I understand that you'd never hurt me. But that doesn't change the fact that this girl is incredibly charming and beautiful, and your spending so much time with her struck a bit of a nerve, so forgive me if I'm a _little_ perturbed by the fact that my boyfriend was suddenly spending so much time…"

Julia stopped her rambling long enough to see that her boyfriend wasn't even listening to her anymore. Sure, he was looking at her with an almost dopey smile, but he certainly hadn't heard a word she had said. Turning to her friends for help, she was shocked to see that they all had similar expressions.

"What in the world is wrong with you all?"

"You told Cameron that you love him," Steph responded bluntly with a proud smile.

"Yeah," agreed Anna Maria. "I remember because I almost threw up my burger when you said it."

The blonde girl took a moment to replay her words in her head before ultimately realizing that she had, in fact, said those three words…and she meant them. Nervously, she looked back at Cameron with a sheepish smile.

"Um…so I'm guessing you heard that, too?"

"You love me," Cameron stated simply and immediately.

"Y-yes."

"You…love me," he repeated, this time more to himself.

The girl only nodded this time, the fear of Cameron's potential rejection robbing her of her voice and not allowing her to see that her boyfriend was ecstatic, not petrified.

Cameron finally snapped out of his stupor to see Julia's nervousness, and lifted her head by her chin long enough to give her a short, yet loving, kiss that had them both smiling.

"You know, it'd really suck if I just said, 'Thank you' right now, wouldn't it?"

Julia couldn't help but laugh through the few happy tears she didn't even know she was shedding. That was such a _Cameron_ thing to say.

The boy softly grabbed her chin again and erased any lingering doubts. "For the record: I love you, too."

* * *

"I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have come here, I should just turn around right now, and go home."

Cole was standing right outside the Abrams apartment. In fact, he had been for a couple of minutes now, debating whether or not to turn around and leave. Unfortunately, his decision was interrupted when the door suddenly opened, revealing a smiling Jack.

"Hey there, Ridge!" Jack announced. "Come on in!"

"Thanks," Cole replied nervously, becoming used to his new nickname. "Where's your dad? I didn't see his car."

"He's working late tonight," Jack answered with a grin.

"So…it's just you and me?"

"Not exactly."

"Wha—"

Jack grabbed Cole's hand and pulled him inside the living room, and the Hudson boy immediately gasped upon what he saw.

"P-please," he began softly, "tell me you know these two guys making out on your couch."

Jack smiled. "Of course I do." He then walked over to the two boys and kicked one of them in the leg with his socked foot. "Guess you two just couldn't wait, huh?"

"Move it or lose it, Abrams," the first boy, a tall blonde, said to Jack as he simultaneously attacked the second boy's neck.

"Jack, what's going on, here?" Cole questioned cautiously.

"Well, since you and I went _all the way_, you haven't really wanted to do anything past making out," Jack answered. "I figured you were nervous since you didn't know too much about sex, so...I thought you'd like a couple of _teachers_."

He began to run a finger down Cole's button-down shirt, opening one button at a time…until Cole put a firm hand on his wrist.

"What exactly are you suggesting, here?" inquired Cole once more.

"Jackie, your new friend's hot, but he's not all that bright, is he?" the second boy, a now-shirtless brunette quipped.

The Abrams boy sighed and forwarded to his "friends." "These guys are Dominic and Mason. I know them from my old school. When they told me that they wanted to come by…I figured you could join us."

"J-join you in what?"

Jack took Cole's hand once more. "Come over and find out."

Cole Hudson took approximately three steps before it hit him: Jack, himself, and these two strangers…_together_. _This_ was Jack's surprise? Ever since he and Jack had taken their sexual relationship to the next level, Cole had been incredibly apprehensive to do anything…and Jack decided to counter that with an orgy? Whether it was meant to be offensive or not, for the first time, Cole began to see things much more clearly. He had to get out of there…now.

"Um…Jack, wait a minute."

As Mason and Dominic groaned, Jack looked at Cole in confusion. "What's with you?"

"I…I…I gotta go."

"But—"

"See you at school, Jack."

Cole almost ran out of the Abrams apartment and to the Escalade that he drove there. And as soon as he sat inside, he took an immense sigh of relief.

* * *

Happy 2013 everybody! With the first new episode of Glee comes the first new chapter of DynamiX and continued proof that I haven't vanished from the planet! This chapter underwent a major rewrite, thus (partially) explaining the absence. But once again, thanks to everyone for continuing to support the story!

FEATURED SONG:

"Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder

**In the Next Chapter: While the musicians of Vocal DynamiX encounter a new adversary, Julia and Cole make emotionally life-changing decisions.**


	20. Don't Stop the Music

**DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee**

Disclaimer: I own Netflix, with which I have been watching a LOT of Doctor Who lately. That has nothing to do with anything.

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to _beads33_, who has spent the past two weeks forci-I mean, yelling at me-I mean, hitting me with rocks if I don-I mean..._encouraging_ me to keep writing. That being said..._Allons-y!_**

Chapter 15 – Don't Stop the Music

"That was, without a doubt, the best I've ever seen you guys sing that number! We've got less than two weeks before Regionals, and I've got to say that we're gonna kick some ass for sure!"

The Vocal DynamiX began to snicker as Beth Corcoran covered her mouth in embarrassment. Clearly, the teacher was quite enthused with their performance. The group had just finished running the vocals of their show, with the musicians providing back-up music on one side of the room.

"I apologize," Beth smiled. "But it's so great to see you all do so well. Just a couple of things though." She turned to the combo. "Guys, the last number was a little off towards the end. Everything alright?"

"That was my fault, Ms. C.," Jack Abrams responded, his head in his saxophone. "Broken reed. Taking care of it now."

"Like that'd help," a male voice from the opposite corner scoffed.

"What was that?" asked Beth, not hearing the voice clearly.

"Nothing, Ms. Corcoran," the owner of the voice responded with fake politeness.

"Okay then."

As Beth continued to speak to the combo, Harley Wainwright rolled his eyes from his seat. He was the newest member of the Vocal DynamiX, a transfer student from Wilmington Preparatory School in Delaware, who joined as a singer/dancer after Leo Lawson moved from vocalist to keyboardist. While he was necessary for their competition numbers—as they still needed twelve to compete—the boy…was pretty annoying.

"I hate that guy," whispered Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce. "He's such a pretentious ass."

"I know," Cole Hudson responded. "But we've just got to put up with him. It's too close to Regionals to lose a member."

"Well if he makes a little smartass comment at me the way he just did to Jack, I'd—"

She stopped herself upon noticing that Cole immediately flinched upon hearing Jack's name. And she wasn't the only one to notice.

"What the hell was that?" Cameron Evans said in their direction.

"What the hell was _what_?" Cole countered.

"That flinch. You can't play that off, Cole," insisted Steph Hudson. She and Cameron were seated in the row behind her brother and Anna Maria.

"There's nothing to play off," Cole continued to claim.

"We can always ask Jack," the Latina started.

"Okay fine!" conceded Cole. He needed to tell them something…to shut them up, if nothing else. "Jack and I…broke up."

"…So you _did_ date?" Steph asked in surprise.

"If by 'date', you mean 'had random sexual encounters with until he started taking it too far,'" Cole silently thought, before giving a weak vocal response. "Kinda…"

"I knew something was wrong with you!" Steph announced as loudly as she could without the teacher noticing. "You've been off for like a month now!"

"Damn…" sighed Cameron. "Wait until I tell Jules about _this_!"

"Where _is_ Julia, anyway?" questioned Anna Maria, referencing the missing member of their group.

"No idea," Cameron responded. "All she told me on the phone this morning was that she needed a day of 'soul-searching and reflection.'"

"Okay, let's run the opener again, guys!" Beth interrupted, now at the front of the room again.

And they did. The group was about halfway through the song when the sudden snap of a guitar string cut their song short.

"Son of a bitch!"

"Trey!"

"Sorry, Ms. C.," Trey Chang apologized, now nursing his guitar. "One of my strings snapped out of nowhere. I'll get it fixed in a minute."

A non-subtle cough. "Like it'd make a difference."

This time, Beth heard the comment and turned to the speaker with a glare. "Do we have a problem, Harley?"

"None at all, Ms. Corcoran," he replied dryly. "It's just…do we even _need_ musicians?"

Trey and Jack gave shared looks of angered disbelief, as did many other students in the room. Beth, however, ignored them all.

"Harley, I know you haven't been with us long," she began calmly, "but the musicians of Vocal DynamiX are an incredibly beneficial and welcome addition to our group."

"All I'm saying is that there's nothing wrong with singing a cappella," the boy said shadily. "We did it at my old school."

"If that guy brings up his preppy little private school one more time, I'm gonna rip his balls off," grumbled Anna Maria.

"Well, that's not how we do it here," Beth said to Harley authoritatively, yet politely. "Now how about we take five to give Trey some time to fix his guitar?"

As Beth stepped out of the room, the group began to disperse. Cole, Anna Maria, Steph, and Cameron walked over to Jack and Trey, the latter's eyes on his guitar.

"What the hell was _that_ about?" asked Cameron.

"Don't know," Trey answered. "Probably best to just drop it."

"The hell with that," insisted Jack. "No one talks to me like that and gets away with it."

With that, Jack left the group and made his way across the room to Harley, with Cameron and Anna Maria at his heels, preparing to play bodyguard. Harley—his long jet-black ponytail swaying behind him—smirked as Jack approached him, smugly preparing himself for a fight.

"How can I help you, Jackie Boy?"

"Cut the crap, Wainwright. What's your deal?"

"Like I said earlier," he answered, "your little ragtag group of 'musicians' is unnecessary. Show choir's all about vocals anyway."

"Show choir's about _music_," corrected Jack. "All kinds, expressed in all kinds of ways."

"Well if you insist on having backing music, then why not an instrumental track? At least there's a less chance of error that way."

By this time, the entire Vocal DynamiX Combo was standing behind Jack, each member displaying an expression of anger. The rest of the students were nervously scattered around the room observing the brewing fight.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?" asked Trey, now moving next to Jack.

"If we're gonna sing and dance to music," the rude boy started, "might as well be by musicians that can _play_."

"Hey, hey, hey! What is going on here!?"

The room turned to find their teacher re-enter the room at exactly the right instant. For everyone knew that if she hadn't had walked in at that precise moment, the fight would have gotten physical for sure.

"I'll tell you what's going on, Ms. Corcoran," growled Jack, still glaring at Harley. "We are sick and tired of sitting in the background and being unappreciated."

"Yeah!" screamed the rest of the members of the combo.

"We deserve just as much respect as everyone else," added Trey.

"Yeah!"

"You _are_ respected, guys!" insisted Beth.

"Not by everyone," Trey made clear, his eyes on Harley Wainwright.

Beth followed Trey's eyes and groaned. "Harley, I ask again, do we have a problem?"

"Only the mediocrity of our 'musicians,'" he answered with a bored expression, putting air quotes around "musicians."

"That's it!" Jack screamed. "We're going on strike!"

* * *

"What!?"

Cole, Cameron, Steph, and Anna Maria flinched at Julia Hummel-Anderson's high pitched scream.

"I miss _one day_, and the entire Vocal DynamiX Combo quits less than two weeks before Regionals!?"

"Kinda…" Cameron eased.

"Oh my Barbra!" Julia moaned dramatically, lying onto her bed. Her friends were seated around her. "This is horrible…this is _not_ what I needed today…dear God, on top of everything else..."

"What do you mean?" Cameron asked from his place on the bed beside her.

Julia sighed. "Well…I suppose I would have told you all eventually; might as well do it now…I've decided to meet my mother."

Everyone remained silent for a few moments, and Anna Maria chose to speak on their behalf. "What made you decide this?"

"Well," she began, "the reason that I waited so long was because I was afraid of what I may discover. And after what happened with Anna Maria," A pause while Cole put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "I was even more perturbed."

"So what changed your mind?" asked Cameron.

"You," she answered with a smile. Her hand was now subconsciously playing with the pendant around her neck that Cameron had given her a month prior. "When you told me you loved me…I don't know, I just felt…inspired. More inspired than I've ever felt in my entire life. I…I just have a really good feeling about this."

"Honey," Steph said softly, "I'm glad that you're happy, but just because you and Cameron love each other now doesn't mean that things will be any better or worse with your mother."

Julia nodded in agreement. "I know. But, I'm still ready. I took today off to think about this on every level, and I'm really ready now."

Cameron pulled Julia into a warm hug, and the Hudson twins smiled. Anna Maria, meanwhile, chose to gag dramatically.

"Be nice, A.M.," Cole smiled.

"Fine," she answered. Then she turned to the blonde girl. "So when are you gonna do it?"

"…Well, that's up to you and Cameron," she answered shyly. "I'd like you both to come with me."

"Okay, I see why _I'm_ invited," snipped Cameron, "but why does the She-Hulk have to come along?"

"She's been through this before," Julia said. "I'd like her there for empathetic support."

"Of course I'll be there, Jules," the Latina told her. "Anything for a friend…and anything to piss off Trouty Mouth."

"So are you gonna do this before or after Regionals?" asked Cole while Cameron placed a hand over his mouth.

"Before," his cousin answered methodically. "Otherwise, my mind will solely be on my mother. In order to be focused for Regionals, I need to do this soon."

"Regionals is the weekend after this upcoming one," Steph reminded her.

"So…it looks like we're doing it this week," Cameron noted slowly.

"You sure about this?" asked Anna Maria.

Julia nodded. "I've never been more sure than I am right now."

* * *

The next day in homeroom, the entire group, sans Jack and Trey, were seated in the usual spots at the front of the room.

"So Boy Chang didn't say anything to you two in first period?" Anna Maria asked the Hudson twins.

"Nothing related to DynamiX," Steph answered. "By the time he made it to the class room, the teacher was starting the lesson. We didn't really get a chance to talk to him."

"And Coleridge," Julia asked, "have you had an opportunity to reach Jackson?"

At Cole's flinch, Cameron quickly turned to Julia and whispered into her ear. After a few seconds, the girl looked even more confused.

"But wait…how are they broken up? They would have had to have _dated_ first!"

Cameron gave his girlfriend a sardonic look. "Julia…"

"Oh!" she gasped in realization. "Well, it isn't my fault! Clearly, I'm the last to know!"

"Last to know what?"

The group looked up from their seats to see Trey joining them.

"Last to know that Jack and Cole broke up," Anna Maria told the Asian boy as Cole groaned in annoyance.

"Oh…" Trey said without really thinking about it. Then, "Oh, oh, oh! This makes so much sense now!"

Julia spoke on behalf of the confused group. "What do you mean?"

"Why Jack has been so gun-ho about striking the glee club!" he responded.

"I thought you _all_ wanted to go on strike," said Cameron.

Trey gave an uncomfortable expression. "Not exactly…I mean, don't get me wrong: that stuff that Harley said really pissed me off, but not to the point of wanting to quit! But once again, Jack took over without even consulting me."

"Well if you don't want to strike, then just rejoin," Anna Maria said plainly.

"After that spectacle that Jack made yesterday?" countered Trey. "And besides, it's not like he was wrong. A lot of times, we _are_ pretty underappreciated."

"I'm sure we can work something out," Steph proposed before turning to Julia and Cameron. "You guys are the glee club captains. Think you can get a meeting with Beth scheduled tomorrow afternoon?"

"Actually," Julia replied, "Cameron, Anna Maria, and I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon to see my mother."

"You're finding your mom?" asked Trey, having just learned this. "Kickass!"

As Julia smiled her thanks, Steph frowned. "Well, with them gone, it looks like it's up to me and Cole." The brunette turned to her twin. "Think you can handle it? With Jack and everything?"

Cole sighed. "Anything for the group."

* * *

"Julia, are you _sure_ you don't want us to come with you?"

"No, Papa Kurt. I'll be fine."

It was the following afternoon, and Kurt and Blaine Hummel-Anderson were speaking with Anna Maria, Julia, and Cameron standing outside of the latter's Dodge Charger.

"Jules, you may want to take them," suggested Anna Maria. "I speak from experience…I kinda wish I had brought my moms along."

"How about this?" suggested Blaine. "Your Papa and I will follow you in my car, and we'll go catch an early dinner somewhere close by. Then if you need us, we won't be too far."

Julia smiled appreciatively. While she _did_ want to meet her mother alone, she still liked the fact that her fathers would be close.

"That sounds lovely. Thank you daddies."

Each of her fathers gave her a kiss on the cheek, and after a few minutes, the three teenagers were in Cameron's car, Julia in the passenger seat, and Anna Maria behind them.

"Okay, Julia," Cameron said comfortingly. "Now we just need a name and address."

The blonde girl sighed at a long white envelope she held in her hands. The same envelope that her fathers had given her two months prior. Inside of which was a sheet containing the necessary information to find the mysterious woman that carried Julia some sixteen years ago. After a few moments, she turned around and shoved the envelope into her friend's hands.

"You do it," she insisted.

Anna Maria hesitated. "Julia, if you're not ready—"

"I am," she interrupted with a smile. "Just a little stage fright."

"Okay." There was another pause as the Latina opened the envelope and took two sheets of paper out. Briefly opening the first one, she read the words "My dearest Julia" across the top and immediately closed it. "Jules, I-I think this may be a letter from her.

"Really?" Julia took the first sheet from her friend and read the first lines:

_My dearest Julia,_

_I know that you will someday ask your fathers about me, and you'll have many questions. I've instructed them to give you this letter, knowing that it will give you some ans—_

"I can't read anymore," the blonde announced, folding up the paper with a smile. "I want to build up the suspense."

"Julia, is now really the time to go into performance mode?" Cameron questioned slowly.

"Cam, please, I'm _always_ in performance mode," the girl said back. She then looked behind her to Anna Maria, tossing the letter from her mother on the backseat. "What else is in there?"

The Latina girl looked at the second sheet of paper, and based on the crispness of the paper, she could tell that it had been added to the envelope rather recently, perhaps by Kurt or Blaine. On the paper was a set of directions to a nearby home and a single name printed at the top. "The address isn't that far, actually. About 20 miles away." She gave Cameron the sheet, leaving the empty envelope and the personal letter on the backseat.

"And her name?" asked Julia.

Cameron, who was now holding the paper, looked at it and then to his girlfriend. "Mary Eastman."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Vocal DynamiX rehearsal room, Trey and Jack were in the middle of an argument.

"But _why_ is a strike necessary, Jack?" Trey asked exasperatedly.

"It's time these singer/dancers realize that we're important, too!"

"They know that! It's just one person. Who cares what Harley Wainwright thinks, anyway? He's a snooty little brat!"

"No one messes with Jack Abrams and gets away with it," the saxophonist muttered.

"Do you forget that you're not even the captain of the combo?" Trey asked with a slight glare. "I am."

"Then you should really be paying attention to your group," Jack told him. "Because they're as pissed as I am."

"I'm not saying that what Wainwright said didn't piss me off, too," Trey answered. "But I've talked to all of the other members, and the general consensus is that as long as he apologizes, we'll be okay."

Jack rolled his eyes. "You're such a damn pushover, Chang."

There was a tense silence for a few seconds, and then Trey broke it with, "Does your sudden anger have anything to do with Cole?"

"Excuse me?"

"Look…Cole told us that you two broke up—"

"Wait, what?" asked Jack in confusion. Sure, he and Cole hadn't been together in a while, but what exactly was the tall boy telling their friends?

"And he told us that you two secretly dated," Trey added. "But just because you're upset about that, it doesn't mean you can take it out on the group!"

Anything Jack may have said was suddenly interrupted by the arrivals of Beth, Steph, and Cole.

"Hi Trey, hi Jack," Beth greeted. "Thanks for agreeing to meet up."

"No problem," Trey replied as Jack scoffed.

"Now," the teacher continued, "Steph and Cole have explained to me that the combo has some concerns, and I'm here to listen. Clearly, what Harley Wainwright said to you was rude—"

"But we understand that you can't boot him so close to Regionals," Trey interrupted. "So I've talked to the other musicians, and we agreed—" Jack coughed in protest. "—_most of us_ agreed that if Harley apologizes to us, then this 'strike' can end."

Beth nodded and turned to the boy in the glasses. "Jack, I can see that you are of a different mind."

"You got that right," he told the woman. "That jackass totally embarrassed us; made us look like idiots! It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than an apology."

As Beth seemed to ignore Jack's profanity for the time being, Cole spoke up for the first time. "And what exactly is that gonna take, Jack?"

"That's for _you_ to decide, Ridge," he replied with a small glare.

"You're broken up, and he still calls you that?" whispered Steph to her brother.

"Wait, they dated?" Beth asked suddenly. "Well that _would_ explain the anger."

"That's our theory," said Steph. "He's just taking his irritations at Cole out on the rest of us."

"Okay, first of all, _he_ is in the room," Jack frowned. "And second of all, I'm not taking anything out on anybody! This has everything to do with the underrepresentation of the musicians!"

"Well, how about this, Jack," Beth thought aloud. "I can restructure the opener to include a…musical feature, with no vocals."

"What about us?" Cole asked on behalf of the singers. "What will we do during that time?"

"We'll use that opportunity to showcase your dance steps a little more," Beth replied. "With Beatles songs, it's a little more difficult to incorporate complex choreography, but _now_ we have the perfect opportunity!"

"That sounds perfect!" Trey said without giving Jack a chance to say anything. "I'll tell my dad to call you about it tonight, and I'll get in touch with the combo so they'll know that the strike is over."

"And what about that jerk Wainwright?" asked Jack darkly.

"I'll talk to him," Steph volunteered. "Get him to apologize to you guys."

"And who's to say that it'll be sincere?"

No one had a solid answer for the Abrams boy, who wasn't satisfied with the lack of action and began to grumble under his breath before storming out of the room.

"That breakup must have really hit him hard," Steph mused to her brother.

Cole, whose eyes were focused on the door, stood up silently and went after the boy. He didn't have to go far, however, as Jack was pacing right outside of the very classroom where he and Cole first met during Sectionals.

"Okay, Jack, what's wrong with you?"

"He shouldn't get away with that," Jack insisted.

"I know you're mad, but don't you think you're taking this a little far?" Cole eased. "It's just one guy's opinion."

"Screw you, Hudson…oh wait, can't do that! You haven't called me in weeks!"

"I've been working at the nightclub, Jack. I don't really have time—"

"Then why did you tell the others that we 'broke up'? I mean, sure we were never _in a relationship_, but where the hell did that come from?"

"Look, I had to tell them something. They noticed that I was flinching every time someone said your name."

"And why would you be? What the hell did I do to you, Ridge?"

"You…nothing…I don't know!" Cole yelled. "But it doesn't matter. What's wrong with _you_?"

"I haven't had sex in almost a month," Jack answered sarcastically. "Frankly, I get pissed pretty easily."

"What about your _other guys_?"

Jack looked shocked. "Is _that_ what this is about? You think I'm _cheating_? Look, Ridge, you know what you were getting in to when you got into it. You knew that it wasn't exclusive, and it wasn't anything more than sex."

"I know that!" Cole yelled. "It's just…look, I can't do this anymore."

"What?"

"Our thing…I can't do it anymore, Jack. I'm just…it was a mistake. I'm sorry."

As Cole slowly walked away, Jack screamed out to him. "Fine! Who needs you, anyway!? There's plenty of other guys; you don't mean a damn thing!"

Cole Hudson began to walk even faster, filled with an immense mixture of emotions. Why the hell was Jack acting like this? Why was he so angry all of the sudden? Not even a creep like Harley could have made him _this_ angry. What the hell was going on in his head?

And did Cole really not mean anything to him? It may have been just sex, but…was it really just sex? Was that all he was? Just a cheap outlet to be used whenever Jack felt like it? After all that time...after losing his virginity...was it all for nothing?

* * *

Jack Abrams regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. And Cole's increasing speed in his steps didn't help matters much. Of course Jack understood why he—himself—was so emotionally charged, how it had little to do with Harley Wainwright, and how it had more to do with an _anniversary _of sorts—but that didn't mean that anyone else knew why he was so angry right now…except, perhaps, his father. But that wasn't the issue at hand.

Cole was the issue. What started as a sex buddy became a _frequent_ sex buddy. Which then turned into a _preferred_ sex buddy, and then his favorite one of all. One of the few—oh, who was he kidding?—the _only_ one of them who he didn't mind having a conversation with when the sex was over.

"Why did I have to say that Cole didn't mean anything!?" the boy thought to himself, still looking at where Cole had just left. "Why did I have to let that out on Cole and the glee club? After all, it wasn't _their_ fault that she didn't wa—alright Abrams, let's not go _there_…damn it, I really fucked up…again. I don't know what I did to piss Ridge off, though…I mean, the sex was great! Wasn't it? He was into it as much as I was! Right?"

Jack sighed angrily, knowing in the pit of his stomach that his escapades with the tall boy were truly over. But what confused Jack was _why_ this upset him…was he sad to lose a friend with benefits? Or was he sad to lose…probably the closest true friend he had ever had? Either way, whatever Cole was, he wasn't that anymore.

* * *

"Why do you think he was so upset?"

Steph sighed through the phone in response to Trey's inquiry. She was currently in her SUV, en route to one Harley Wainwright's house. "He must have gotten into another fight with Jack. I never should have let my brother go after him. Thanks for dropping him off at home, by the way."

"No problem," Trey's voice rang from the other end. "But are you sure you want to go talk to Harley alone?"

"He's a jerk, not a criminal," Steph scoffed as her Escalade pulled into the long driveway of the massive Wainwright home. "Holy crap, Harley is _loaded_. Trey, you should see this!"

"Visit the home of the guy who _voluntarily_ sports a ponytail? No thanks."

Steph chuckled as she parked her SUV. "Well, I'd better go. I'll let you know how it went."

"Good luck."

Within seconds, Steph ended her call and got out of the truck, surprised to find Harley standing in front of the open front door with a glass of lemonade in his hand. His usual ponytail had been undone, instead leaving the long strands to travel down slightly past his shoulders.

"Stefania Hudson, right?" he asked.

"Steph," she corrected. "Did you hear me pull up or something?"

"Indeed," the boy answered. "It's pretty quiet around here, so you hear when a ridiculously loud and obnoxious vehicle roaring itself onto your thousand dollar pavement."

The brunette girl scowled. She certainly didn't appreciate some yuppie commenting on her precious Escalade.

"Speaking of your unnecessarily expensive driveway," Steph commented, "why exactly did you transfer from Wilmington Prep to a public school?"

"A little personal, don't you think?"

"Usually I have boundaries, but you kind of annoy me, so I figured I'd drop the faux politeness."

Harley couldn't help but smile a little at the short girl's gall. "Well, when my father transferred here from Delaware, we realized that it was a little too late in the year to enroll me in any of the private schools. So I'll be slumming it with you peons until the fall."

Steph grunted in offended anger. "You're such a creep."

"Well, you asked," he shrugged in response.

"And I regret it," Steph concluded. "But on to the _real_ reason I'm here. You need to apologize to the musicians of Vocal DynamiX."

Harley rolled his eyes. "You drove all this way to tell me to play nice with a bunch of toddlers with as much musical experience as a puppy with a squeaking toy?"

"No," she answered sternly. "I came this way to tell you to man up and stop being such an asshole to people who've done nothing to you."

"If you want your little club to be a success, you've got to aim for the top. And those 'musicians' aren't the top, so just boot them. Who cares about some hurt feelings along the way?"

"I don't know what your old school brainwashed you with, but on _this_ side of the poverty line, the feelings of human beings _matter_. Besides, the combo is incredible. We're lucky to have them playing for us, and they're gonna _help_ us get to the top. Maybe if you got off of your overly-privileged high horse long enough to listen to what's going on with the lower classes, you'd realize that we _peons_ aren't as bad as you make us out to be."

Deciding that Harley Wainwright was a lost cause, Steph angrily huffed to her truck. She was surprised, however, to find the long-haired boy holding the truck door open for her politely.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Holding the door open for you?" he responded as if Steph was a complete idiot. "_You_ were the one who told me to get off of my high horse."

But Steph would have none of it. "What's your angle, Harley?"

"No angle. And I'll apologize to your little music makers if you want."

"…no seriously, what the hell is going on?"

"I'm _trying_ to be polite, but because you're so damn insufferable, it's getting pretty old fast. Now could you please stop asking questions before I change my mind about apologizing to those musicians?"

"…Okay…I…guess I'll see you at school, then," she responded, having never been more confused.

"Good evening, Stefania."

Rolling her eyes at his use of her real name, Steph got into her truck—Harley closing her door—and she was soon heading down the long driveway, leaving the rich boy in her dust.

"She actually stood up to me," Harley said to himself. "That short, little…_imp_ of a girl stood up to me…fascinating."

* * *

Across town, Julia, Anna Maria, and Cameron had just approached their destination: a small, quaint house right outside of the city limits.

"Are—"

"Cameron, I love you, but if you ask me if I'm ready one more time, I will never watch _Avatar_ with you again."

As the biracial boy promptly silenced himself, Anna Maria reached over from the backseat. "Go get 'em, girl."

Julia smiled. "Thanks." The blonde girl gave Cameron a kiss and stepped out of the car, making her way to the house. She approached the front door, and took a final deep breath before ringing the doorbell. After a few seconds, the door opened and a frail petite woman with thin blonde hair stood before her.

"We-we're very happy with our church home, thank you—"

"No, no, wait please!" Julia interrupted. "That isn't why I'm here…I'm looking for a Mary Eastman."

"That's me," the woman responded. "What-what can I do for you?"

The young girl gulped. This small, scared looking woman was her mother. "Um…my name is Julia Hummel-Anderson, a-and I th—"

"Hummel? Anderson? Oh, oh God. Dear God."

"I know that this is a bit of a shock for yo—"

"Didn't you get my letter?" Mary whispered harshly, stepping outside and partially closing the front door beside her.

"Well, I—"

"You shouldn't be here!" she said through gritted teeth. "You need to leave, right now. Immediately!"

"Mary dear, who is at the door?"

The door behind Mary Eastman opened and revealed a woman of about sixty with greying hair.

"No one, Mother," Mary said to the old woman. "Just someone telling us about Jesus."

The grey haired woman gave Julia a stern look through her thick glasses. "We know Jesus, dearie. Thank you." She then looked at her daughter. "Mary, let's return inside, shall we?"

"Y-yes, Mother." The old woman returned inside, and Mary gave the now startled Julia a stern look. "Read my letter. And _please_ don't come back here!"

The door slammed in the young girl's face, leaving Julia too petrified to even move. It took a few moments before she realized that Cameron and Anna Maria had left the car and were now on either side of her.

"Julia, we saw what happened. Is everything okay?" asked Cameron.

"I-I-I-I don't know. I-I don't know what just happened. She was so surprised to see me, and then she said that-that I shouldn't be here, and…and she's told me to leave—I, I—"

Cameron cut her off with a tight hug, which calmed the stuttering girl a little bit. When the hug was broken, he kept his arm around Julia as Anna Maria supportively locked arms with the girl, the trio slowly making their way back to Cameron's car.

"She…she mentioned th-the letter," Julia informed them. "Where—"

"I'm on it," Anna Maria softly interrupted. Letting go of Julia, the Latina quickly opened Cameron's backseat door and pulled out the first sheet of paper that Julia had purposely neglected prior to their visit.

When Anna Maria reached her, Julia silently unfolded the piece of paper that was now in her hands. Cameron and Anna Maria stepped away a few feet to give the girl some privacy as she began to read her mother's letter.

* * *

_My dearest Julia,_

_I know that you will someday ask your fathers about me, and you'll have many questions. I've instructed them to give you this letter, knowing that it will give you some answers, although maybe not the answers that you'll want to hear._

_Let's start over. My name is Mary Ellen Eastman, and at the time I'm writing this letter, I am twenty-four years old. It has been approximately three months since you have been born. And if I haven't made it clear by now, I am your biological mother._

_However, I must impress upon you that you and I should never meet. You see, I was fresh out of college when I heard about your fathers' request for a surrogate mother. With little cash and no job to my name, I jumped at the chance to make some easy money. I know that sounds a little callous, but please forgive me. It was a very difficult time._

_But I digress. My pregnancy with you, and my relationship with your fathers should have been very easy, but it sadly was not. Not by any fault of your dads—Kurt and Blaine were excellent, I'm sure that they still are. The fault was in _my_ parents, actually. You see, I come from a very, very strict Christian home, and for my parents to learn that I was giving a gay couple a baby…well, it wouldn't have gone over very well. But as I was living with them—which, sadly I still am at the moment—I had to explain the pregnancy somehow. So when I explained to them that I was carrying another couple's baby, I…neglected to inform them that it was a gay couple. I was able to convince my parents that the surrogates lived out of state, and that was why they could never meet them. And though your fathers weren't pleased of course, they understood. _

_Anyway, the months passed, and the day of your birth came…and you were—are—the most beautiful human being I have ever seen. I won't lie; as I write this letter, I have just a few regrets. But seeing the smiles on your fathers' faces and the tears in their eyes, I wouldn't change my mind for anything in the world._

_Sadly, the happiness didn't last long. On the day I was to leave the hospital, my parents came to pick me up. Of course, it was on this day that your fathers arrived to thank me once more. Needless to say, the shit hit the fan. (my apologies, but we are being honest, after all) Not to go into details, but…the second we were home, I was yelled at for "aiding the queer abomination" for days…it was horrible. And I _wanted _to stand up for my decision and myself. But to go against my parents?_

_It is for this reason that I cannot see you. Or have any knowledge of you. As painful as it may seem, I wanted to be the first to tell you this. Honestly, I don't even believe that your dear fathers know the extent of my parents' feelings, or that they've all but banished me from seeing you. I am so sorry that it has to be this way, but sadly, it must. For the sake of my relationship with my parents and for the well-being of your family._

_I wish you the best, and all of the love in the world. Have a beautiful life._

_Sincerely,_

_Mary Ellen Eastman_

* * *

The letter was folded and quietly slipped into Julia's purse. Seeing her finish, Anna Maria and Cameron slowly walked back to her.

"Julia, honey?" asked Cameron softly.

"Are you okay?" questioned Anna Maria.

Instead of answering either question, Julia avoided their gazes and entered Cameron's Dodge Charger on the passenger side. The girl's eyes were closed and her expression unreadable as she reclined the seat.

"What do you think happened?" Anna Maria whispered.

"I-I don't know," Cameron replied. "She doesn't even look angry. She read that letter and just…stopped talking."

"Like all of her feelings just vanished or something."

Cameron's face grew angry all of the sudden, and he started to walk up the Eastman drive, Anna Maria rushing after him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Fish Face?"

"No one makes Julia feel like that and gets away with it!"

"And _you're_ gonna try to fight someone?"

"I-I don't know. I'll figure it out when I get there."

The Latina grabbed the boy's shoulder and turned him to face her. "Will you cool it? Look, I know that you're pissed for her. But the last thing she needs is her boyfriend in jail for attempting to beat up two women with spindly toothpick arms…and in case that wasn't clear, I mean _your_ arms, not theirs."

Cameron scowled at her insult as the girl continued. "I don't know what was in that note," she told him, "but I _do _know that we need to get Julia out of here."  
The boy looked behind Anna Maria to his girlfriend in the car; her eyes were still closed and her face was still hard to decipher.

"You're right," he admitted. "Can you call Kurt and Blaine and tell them that we're going to meet them?"

"Sure," replied Anna Maria. "Go on ahead. I'll make the call out here."

Cameron nodded and walked past the girl to enter his car on the driver's side. The emotionally drained Julia didn't seem to even notice his entrance.

"Juli—"

"I'd rather not talk," she replied with a strange combination of calm and dejection. There were no tears in her voice or in her eyes, but Julia Hummel-Anderson was broken. And Cameron Evans was broken right along with her.

"We-we're going to take you to see your fathers," he said softly, unsure of what to say. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her further. "Is that okay?"

"Yes Cameron."

The door to the backseat opened, signaling Anna Maria's entrance and the end of conversation. And soon, the car was off.

* * *

From her upstairs bedroom window, Mary Eastman frowned softly as the car left. She had seen everything: her daughter's reading of her letter and subsequent sadness, the young man—who she presumed was a boyfriend—charging to the front door, and their ultimate retreat from the residence.

This young woman was her daughter…and she had to be turned away. She couldn't let her parents learn that this chapter in her life was reopened. If her parents ever found out that this girl had returned…Mary would never hear the end of it. She'd be put out, abandoned, cast aside.

A tear in her eye, Mary whispered a few solemn words towards the window.

"I'm sorry, Julia. I'm so sorry."

* * *

I could put something witty and clever here. I could apologize once again for my long absence. Or I could do neither and spend more time writing the story! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always, let me know what you think, the good, the bad, or the inconsistent. Thanks!

**In the Next Chapter: With Regionals right around the corner, Cameron must help an emotionally stunted Julia when she considers dropping out of the competition. Meanwhile, the actions of one group member could lead to disastrous results.**


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